Blind
by MangaMamma
Summary: Sometimes you can see more clearly when your eyes are closed. 1x5, little AU
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I lay claim only to my family, cat, house and car.

Hi there! Here's another HeeroxWufei story that I've been working on. I know, I know, the plot device is OLD, but I just couldn't resist. Enjoy!

**Blind**

**Chapter 1**

"Heero! Get down!"

Wufei woke up with a strangled cry as he sat up and reached out for someone who wasn't there. It took him a few minutes to regain his bearings and he sat there, perfectly still, chest heaving, sweat trickling down his temple, eyes wide and scanning.

_Home. I'm in bed. _

Realizing the reality of where he was, the nightmare was banished from his thoughts and he ran his fingers through his hair and fell back onto the pillow with a groan.

_I haven't had a nightmare since the war. Why now?_

Knowing he wasn't going to be getting to sleep anytime soon, Wufei rolled out of bed and made his way to the bathroom, then on to the kitchen with his last stop being his desk where he opened his laptop.

The blue light from the screen illuminated Wufei's face, giving his agitated face a sharper edge. The only sound was the rapid typing as he accessed the Preventor database. He only had to wait a few seconds before finding his answer. He sat back and stared at the screen, suddenly hoping that his nightmare was just that and not a warning of things to come.

Yuy, Heero

Status: Active

Current Mission Location: Krylancelos Satellite

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Wufei couldn't shake the sense of impending doom that his dream from two nights ago had instilled in him. As Heero was the subject of the dream and the only one of them out on a mission, he kept checking the former Gundam pilot's profile. Nothing had changed and it looked as if his paranoia would be unfounded. Until this morning. There, in stark white letters he saw the following:

Yuy, Heero

Status: Injured, Category 3

Current Location: Medical Facility 5

Wufei's heart had stopped when he saw the word "Injured" and for a few seconds his eyes refused to read any further, but when he finally continued his relief was visible as he sighed and slumped back in his chair.

_Category 3? That's pretty serious for most people, but for Heero…that's like a small knife wound. He's fine, thank the gods._

After Wufei closed the window on his laptop and started his work, his brows furrowed as he considered what he read.

_What if the Category 3 is correct? What if he's seriously injured this time? But surely Une would have called, like she did when I ended up in the ICU. All of them were notified within hours of the accident. So why can't I shake the feeling that something is terribly wrong?_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Yo."

_**Hey, Duo.**_

"Heero, hey man, how are you doing? 'Fei told me you were injured."

Heero's frown deepened as he wondered how Wufei found out he was injured and just how much of the situation he was aware of. _Une agreed to keep this quiet. How the hell did he find out? It's not like him to pry into other people's missions_.

"Heero?"

_**I'm fine. **_

Duo frowned as he heard the quick, curt response. _What's his problem_? Then Duo realized Heero was talking again and he tuned back in to the conversation.

……_**.calling to see if you could do me a favor.**_

"Name it."

_**When I get back I'm going to take it easy for a little bit and I would appreciate it if you could get my apartment ready for me.**_

"Wow, Heero, you must really be injured if you're going to rest."

**_Negative. Une's been promising me some time off for months so I'm taking it. I just hate to clean and shop. You know that._**

Duo chuckled as he scribbled down a grocery list for his friend. "Yeah, yeah, and good ol' Duo is just here waiting to be of service, right?"

_**That's not what I meant.**_

"Relax, man, I'm just messin' with ya. I'll call the cleaning service in the morning. When will you be back?"

_**Two days.**_

"Ok. I'll take care of everything."

_**Thanks, Duo. I'll see you in a few days.**_

Duo thought he detected something in Heero's voice that wasn't quite right, but he just chalked it up to Heero being grumpy because he was injured and just shrugged it off.

"No you won't. I'm heading out for a mission tomorrow so you'll have to wait to enjoy my company."

_**Right. Until then.**_

"Enjoy your time off man, you deserve it. Later!"

Heero disconnected the call and let the hand holding the phone fall onto the bed as if it were too heavy for him to hold up any longer. The nurse hesitantly reached out and took the receiver from him and placed it back on the base.

"Do you need anything else, Mr. Yuy?"

"No."

"Ok then. I'm just going to leave now. Would you like the lights left on?"

"What difference could that possibly make to me?"

The nurse bit her lip and frowned as she left the room, berating herself for the careless comment. Heero just lay there motionless, clenching fistfuls of sheets in an effort not to break out in a blind rage.

_To be continued……._


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I lay claim only to my family, cat, house and car.

Thanks to all of you for reading and an extra special thank you for those who have reviewed and put me on the alerts list. Yay me! You really want to keep reading! This chapter might not be much action wise, but it definitely moves the plot along. That's why I posted chapter three simultaneously. I hope you continue to enjoy the story. And keep letting me know what you think.

**Blind**

**Chapter 2**

"I have a new mission for you, Chang."

The ebony-haired man just nodded, keeping his face neutral. He had been preparing for a mission given to him only a few days ago but Lady Une had seen fit to pull him off that mission for a different one. _It must be very important for her to pull me from my current mission_.

"There's someone that is in dire need of….assistance."

Wufei saw the slightest downturn of his superior's lips and he instantly became suspicious, but kept his features neutral until the woman explained herself further.

Lady Une took a deep breath and leaned forward to rest her arms on her desk.

"I'm assigning you to Heero for at least the next two months. You will reside with him and assist him----"

"What?! You pulled me off of a mission to investigate possible slave traders to baby-sit Heero?! Have you lost your mind?"

Wufei was sitting forward in his chair, hands firmly grasping the arms of the chair, knuckles white with his anger and restraint.

"I thought Heero was your friend. Don't you want to help him in his time of need?"

Wufei scoffed as he stood up and stomped over to the window, eyes closed, arms crossed over his chest.

"It is hardly his time of need. He was injured. A Category 3 may be serious for most people, but for Heero it's nothing. He's been injured worse before and survived on his own just fine. Hire some damn nurse. I refuse this mission."

"Chang---"

Wufei let out a derisive chuckle. "Besides, do you even think he'll accept help? He'll toss whoever's sent out the door. Injured or not."

"He's blind, Chang."

Wufei's eyes shot open and he spun around to face the woman behind the desk. His throat was constricted and he couldn't speak. The shock of her words still had him mute when Lady Une finally spoke again.

"He didn't want anybody to know so we listed him as a Category 3 but he has to face the reality that he needs help this time. And as you pointed out, he would toss a nurse out in a heartbeat. But he wouldn't toss out a friend. Someone he respects and who respects and understands him."

"Blind? How?"

"He was going back to pull one of our own from a burning building. A building containing materials to build fireworks. Just as he got close to the building a large explosion tore the building apart."

"Is it…..?"

Lady Une swiveled in her chair to look out the large windows.

"The doctors don't know. They're hopeful that he will regain some, if not all of his sight."

Wufei took a slow, deep breath and let the tension seep from his body.

"Tell me what to do."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Lady Une had given Wufei the phone number to the hospital and informed him that Heero had already contacted Duo and gave him instructions for his return.

"I see."

Lady Une heard the hurt in Wufei's voice.

"He didn't tell Duo. The only people who know the truth are you, me and the doctors. The company line is Heero was injured but he'll be fine and he's just taking some vacation time I promised him."

Wufei felt childish for the brief feeling of jealously when he found out that Heero had contacted Duo personally and left Une to speak with him. _But they are best friends_. He had inquired why he was chosen for the job and not Duo. If he could be pulled from a mission, so could Duo.

"Duo is going to be very upset at being lied to."

"It was Heero's decision not to tell him. And it was his request that you be the one to live with him during his recovery."

That little piece of information had puzzled Wufei. It wasn't that he and Heero didn't get along. On the contrary, they enjoyed a quiet friendship born of mutual trust and respect. But they'd never been close like Heero and Duo, the friends having even lived together for a short while. And even though Wufei and Duo enjoyed a close friendship, as seemed to be the case with most of Duo's friendships, that closeness never spilled over to Heero's and Wufei's friendship.

A beeping noise interrupted his thoughts and Wufei looked down at his wrist. He'd made sure to set an alarm for himself as a reminder that he needed to leave work early. He could get so caught up that he would forget everything else around him.

He grabbed his jacket and headed for his car. As he drove towards the airport where he was to pick-up Heero he thought back to his conversation with Heero's doctor. The doctor was hopeful that the damage to Heero's eyes could be healed and or repaired. There was still a question of how much of his vision would be restored, but again, the doctor was hopeful.

Wufei smirked as he remembered the doctor's repeated use of the word "hopeful".

"Hmph. 'Hope' doesn't heal wounds. Idiot."

The doctor went on to explain that Heero's eyes were tightly bandaged in several layers to protect them from any and all stimulants and irritants. The only time they were to be removed was to administer medicinal eye drops which if Wufei wasn't comfortable doing, they would send a nurse over every other day to administer and re-bandage the eyes.

Wufei had managed to keep his irritation in check and calmly reply that a nurse would not be necessary. Obviously, the doctor was unaware of who he was talking to. The doctor said he would email Heero's medication schedule, check-up schedule and any other special instructions. Wufei already had the packet printed and memorized.

The last step in his preparation for taking care of Heero could not be completed until he spoke with Heero. He already had his clothes and personal items packed and in the trunk. But he would not bring anything into Heero's apartment without discussing the living arrangements first_. I hope I can do this. I've dealt with the injured before, but….the blind? What do I know of being blind_?

_To be continued…._


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I lay claim only to my family, cat, house and car.

**Blind**

**Chapter 3**

Wufei stood in the half-empty terminal and kept glancing at his watch. The transport was over twenty minutes late. _Did something happen? Why didn't someone contact me_? Then he saw a familiar khaki uniform emerge from a nearby hallway and he walked towards the older man and exchanged salutes.

"I was beginning to worry. Is everything ok?"

"Yes sir. There was just a, uh, momentary delay due to a conflict in, uh, procedure."

Wufei raised an inquisitive eyebrow and before he could question the Preventor medic further two more medics appeared with Heero in tow. Heero was sitting in a wheelchair and even though his eyes were not visible, Wufei could feel the hostility coming off his friend in waves.

He turned his attention to the young lady approaching him and he could see that she, along with the other two medics was tense and nervous. _What did Heero do? This has to be his doing._

"Here are the medications and an extra copy of the instructions just in case you didn't already receive them from Doctor Zhivago."

The young woman offered a strained smile and turned away, walking back the way she came. The other two medics followed quickly but not before Wufei heard one of them mumble "good luck with this one". Wufei only smirked and decided whatever Heero did or said was probably deserved.

Wufei turned his attention back to his friend who had not moved or uttered a word since arriving. He was dressed in a very un-Heero like fashion of light, loose pants and a tunic. The outfit looked like something Wufei would wear.

"Get me the hell home, Chang."

Wufei just smirked and rethought his initial assessment. _They probably didn't deserve it_.

"As you wish."

Wufei went to stand behind the wheelchair but the instant he started pushing, Heero made to stand up and get out.

"Heero, no!"

Wufei stretched over the wheelchair and grabbed Heero's arm just in time to keep the blind man from falling forwards. But instead of sitting back down in the chair, Heero wrenched his arm free as soon as he regained his balance and stood up, turning slightly in Wufei's direction.

"If you think you're going to wheel me out of here you're crazy. The only reason I was in that wheelchair to begin with was because I couldn't…"

Wufei saw Heero's fists clench tightly and he noticed his body was trembling. _The only reason they won is because he couldn't see them._ Wufei truly felt sorry for the proud man and so he took a calming breath and kept his voice even.

"And how do you propose to get to the car?"

"My legs are not broken. I can walk."

Wufei considered the situation and the man involved. Heero was a very driven man and once he'd made his mind up to do something, there would be no stopping him. Wufei admired that about him, even if it had almost cost him his life on more than one occasion. He understood the passion behind the actions.

So without another word of protest, Wufei quietly approached Heero and offered his arm by brushing it against Heero's. He felt Heero stiffen at the touch but he calmly waited and eventually the prideful man firmly latched onto his arm, allowing Wufei to guide him out of the airport and to the car.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The walk to the car and the drive back to Heero's apartment had been in silence. Wufei wanted to ask Heero about the living arrangements but seeing his friend just staring forward, jaw clenched and obviously stiff with discomfort, he couldn't bring himself to say anything.

It didn't take long to reach Heero's apartment and Wufei was thankful it was on the ground floor and required no stairs. He'd already narrowly avoided disaster at the airport guiding Heero down a flight of stairs at the parking garage since the elevator was broken. Between Heero's stubbornness and Wufei's uneasiness with the situation, they had almost tumbled down at least three times, which put even more strain on the situation.

Once inside the apartment, Wufei led Heero to the sofa where he sat down and adopted the same posture he had in the car. Wufei sat in the chair caddy corner to the sofa on the right and sighed.

"Where would you like me to store my stuff? I have two suitcases. Very manageable."

Heero was silent for a few moments and when Wufei was about to speak up and repeat his question, Heero mumbled a response.

"You can use Duo's room."

"Duo's room?"

"It's not much. Just a futon and small dresser."

"That sounds fine."

Wufei sat there and stared down at his lap. _Why does Duo have a room here? They don't live together. Does he stay here a lot? But…..why? If they were seeing each other, wouldn't they just stay in Heero's room_?

Feeling like he was somehow prying into his friends' personal business, Wufei shook his mind clear of questions and headed for the front door.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Wufei lay down on the futon with an exhausted groan. But instead of closing his eyes and falling asleep like his body wanted him to, his mind was still working overtime and so he stared at the ceiling, thinking.

He was thankful that Heero didn't want to do anything other than go to bed. After helping him to bed and arguing over Heero wanting to sleep in the clothes he was in and Wufei finally relenting because he felt himself losing his patience and wanting to just yell at his friend as if he were a Drill Instructor, Wufei sat in the living room for a few moments savoring the quiet and regaining control of himself.

_How am I going to do this? I don't know how to take care of a blind person. And this isn't just anyone, this is Heero. _

Wufei had been to Heero's apartment enough times to know the layout, but he didn't know where Heero kept everything so in the quiet of the early evening Wufei went through the kitchen and familiarized himself with where the utensils and such were and took stock of the food Duo had bought.

After putting the medicine and bandages in their proper places and taking a quick shower, Wufei retired to his room to unpack and organize his own stuff. He was surprised to find the small dresser empty with the exception of a single change of clothes, a toothbrush and a stick of deodorant. _Does Duo use Heero's place as some sort of safe house_?

The room was bare with the exception of the futon, small dresser and oddly enough a fake ficus decorated with a string of white lights. _That has to be Duo's doing_.

As Wufei lay in the dark, trying to come up with a plan of attack for tomorrow morning he suddenly chuckled and rolled over, closing his eyes. _I'm being ridiculous. This is me and Heero we're talking about. We both think alike. Surely we can figure this out without too much difficulty_.

_To be continued…._


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I lay claim only to my family, cat, house and car.

Smiles and hugs for everyone as I clap gleefully like the silly girl I am! Yay, you like the story! I hope it continues to meet with your approval. Here's the latest, enjoy!

**Blind**

**Chapter 4**

"God damn it, Yuy, get your ass out of that bed right now or so help me I'll----!"

Suddenly Heero sat up in his bed facing straight ahead.

"Or you'll what, Chang? What could you possibly do to me that could make this any worse?!"

Wufei and Heero remained frozen, their fiery tempers filling the bedroom with a hostile vibe that was so intense it was tangible.

_This is insane. How did it get to this so quickly_?

As Wufei stood his ground against Heero's blind glare and willpower he thought back to the morning's events. After showering and dressing, Wufei had gone to wake Heero. He knocked several times but after not getting a response or hearing any noise at all, he cautiously opened the door.

"Heero? Are you awake? It's 7am."

Still not getting a response, Wufei stepped into the room and turned on the light and opened the drapes to let the sun shine through. Finally he heard a groan and the lump of covers moved. Wufei could only smirk. _I feel like a parent waking a child for school_.

"Good morning, Heero."

"Go away."

Wufei stopped in Heero's bathroom doorway and looked back at the grumpy voice.

"Heero, it's morning. Time to g---"

"Are you deaf? I said go away."

Wufei glared at the lump of covers that was his friend.

"Heero, I will not allow you to just pout in this bed. You're better than that."

Wufei went over to the bed and started to pull the covers away but Heero was holding firm and ultimately he swung his leg out catching Wufei in the thigh. Wufei growled and stepped away from the bed and that's when he'd lost it and started yelling.

_I know this isn't easy for him, but that's no excuse to lash out at me. Literally. Especially since he knows I can't hit him in his current condition. Bastard._

Wufei took a deep, calming breath, exhaling slowly. Feeling the tension leave his body he spoke up, willing to try one more time.

"Heero…..I can't imagine what you're going through right now, but I'm here to help you. As your friend. I'm not some stranger who is going to treat you like you're a job."

Wufei saw Heero's shoulders slump, and a defeated sigh escaped into the quiet room.

"So let's get you a shower and some clean clothes and then I'll make breakfast."

Heero's entire body went rigid again and Wufei frowned. _What did I say? What's his problem now_? Wufei replayed what he said in his mind and finally the impact of Wufei's words sunk in. _Oh_.

"Umm….How would you like to---"

"I wouldn't."

"Heero, your body must be cleaned."

"I will not allow you to give me a bath or…or shower with me."

Both men's cheeks were burning and Wufei ran his hands through his still unbound and slightly damp hair.

"I'm not delighted at the prospect either. What did they do while you were in the hospital?"

"Sponge bath."

"Then that's what I'll do. You can sit on the toilet and I can wash you that way."

"You're not a nurse."

"No, I'm not a nurse. But I damn well know how to wash the human body and just to keep things in perspective…..I have seen your naked body more times than I care to count at the gym. This shouldn't be any different."

Silence hung as the two friends remained still in a battle of wills. Wufei stood, arms crossed over his chest, a determined look aimed at the man sitting on the bed who was facing straight ahead, body still rigid with tension. Finally, a mumbled response of acquiescence broke the silence.

"Fine."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Wufei had gotten himself into the mindset that he was just helping a friend and getting embarrassed at seeing Heero's naked body was childish. But as he washed Heero, starting at his shoulders and working his way down, Heero's obvious discomfort became Wufei's discomfort. _Ok, this is nothing like seeing him naked at the gym. I didn't' have to….to touch him_. _But…..this isn't a big deal. I'm just doing what any nurse, a complete stranger, has done for him._

Heero flinched when the washcloth dipped below his pecs, but Wufei ignored it and continued on until once again, Heero made a small motion to escape his ministrations as he reached his hips.

"Heero."

"Can't help it."

Wufei clenched his jaw as he rinsed the washcloth and turned back to continue washing Heero. He noticed how tense his body was and as he stared harder, he could see small tremors coursing up and down the exposed body. _There has to be a better way. If it were me……_ Suddenly the extent of the situation came crashing down and Wufei's face became blood red and he found that he was now **_very_** embarrassed and he looked away from Heero's naked body. _Oh my gods, what was I thinking_?!

"Um…would you like to…?"

"Yes."

Heero held out his hand and Wufei turned enough to place the warm sudsy cloth in his hand and then returned to staring at the wall, feeling the need to give Heero some semblance of privacy.

"Here."

Wufei turned to see that Heero had washed the rest of his body. He took the washcloth and placed a towel to wipe down with in the expectant hand Heero held out. Once Heero was clean, Wufei guided him back to his bed where he struggled to get dressed.

"Let me help…"

"_No_."

Wufei froze at the command and glared at the unaware man on the bed who was trying to figure out which way to put his shirt on.

"You can stop with the look. It only works if the person can see you."

Narrowed onyx eyes widened in surprise at the blind observation.

"Besides…" Heero slipped the t-shirt over his head and looked towards where he last knew Wufei to be, which was pretty close to where he actually was. "…..your glares never worked on me."

Wufei would have taken offense at the comment if it weren't for two things: one, he was impressed that Heero knew what he was doing and two, Heero had put his shirt on backwards. So instead, the man who wasn't known for his patience took a slow calming breath before speaking again.

"Let's go wash your hair."

"Hair?"

"Yes. That messy brown stuff on top of your head."

Wufei sighed as he walked towards Heero to guide him back into the bathroom where he helped him to kneel next to the bathtub. He handed him a folded towel and turned on the water, adjusting the temperature.

"What are you going to do?"

"You're going to hold that towel over your eyes as you lean your head over the tub. I'm going to wash your hair using the detachable shower head."

"Why didn't you do this before when I was---"

"Already naked? I don't know, Yuy. I wonder why I didn't have you bending over naked to wash your hair!"

Heero cringed at his friend's raised voice. Not just because he felt guilty for riling up the man who was helping him, _again_, but because he was right. _What's happened to me? I'm not thinking clearly. I asked Wufei to help me because I trust him_.

Wufei and Heero remained silent as Wufei washed his hair, words only spoken as short instructions. Heero didn't complain when Wufei took a comb to his hair and he didn't question how the man had bothered to style it either. _Nobody's going to see me except Wufei and he's not into practical jokes like Duo. Although he can be vindictive_. As Heero contemplated Wufei's current level of frustration and whether or not it warranted some sort of vengeance he heard Wufei's defeated voice.

"Go ahead, I know it will make you feel better."

Without hesitation Heero put his hands in his hair and shook out the stiff feeling of the damp hair. Immediately he felt more at ease. _But this shirt still feels a little uncomfortable_.

_To be continued…._


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I lay claim only to my family, cat, house and car.

A special thanks to Ken who pointed out my HUGE mistake with the direction I was taking this story. I have to say, once it was pointed out I felt pretty stupid. I navigate my own house and get dressed in the dark all the time so I shouldn't have painted Heero in such a helpless manner. So I had to do a bit of a rewrite and that's why it's taken me longer to post the latest chapter. Although I will say this: I tried eating blind and it is **_not easy_**.

I really do appreciate all the reviews and comments. Yu guys are awesome! And I've gotta say, I had no idea that Heero putting his shirt on backwards was going to be such a hot topic. I love it! So I guess you should read on to see what happens, right?

**Blind**

**Chapter 5**

Wufei placed the two plates on the table and sat down with a sigh. He knew what was coming. The whole time he had been preparing breakfast, Heero sat at the kitchen table and only spoke when questioned. And even then they were very Spartan answers. Wufei knew they were both thinking the same thing while the smell of eggs and bacon and toast filled the small room: How was Heero going to eat?

"How would you like to do this?"

"With my own eyesight."

Wufei rolled his eyes and pushed his chair back, getting up to stand behind Heero. He reached out with his right arm and guided Heero's hand to the fork. Once the utensil was within Heero's firm grasp, Wufei guided his hand towards the plate, touching each type of food and identifying it.

"Would you like me to guide you a few times so you can get your bearings?"

"Let go."

Wufei returned to his seat and began to eat, trying not to pay too much attention to the fumbling actions of the man sitting next to him. He really did understand Heero's need to do as many things for himself as possible. But at some point the prideful man was going to have to realize he needed-----

"Help."

Wufei looked over to see pieces of scrambled eggs littering the table around Heero's plate. _No doubt the floor and his lap look the same. Oh well, at least he's asking for help before it gets any worse_.

"Where's the juice?"

Wufei visibly cringed at the thought of the blind man reaching out and trying to drink on his own. _But he's not a child. I have to let him try, right_?

"One o'clock."

Wufei's entire body was tightly wound like a coil ready to spring into action the moment it looked like the juice would go the way of the scrambled eggs. But slowly and hesitantly Heero's hand found the glass and brought it up to his lips for a drink. _Maybe I'm not giving him enough credit. This **is** Heero we're talking about_. Wufei slowly exhaled and went back to eating his meal with a newly gained sense of hope that things would go better than he thought.

Suddenly the sound of glass hitting wood and liquid sloshing jerked Wufei's head up.

"Shit."

"Stay. I've got it."

Wufei quickly stood up and grabbed the kitchen towel, mopping up the juice from the table before worrying about the floor. As he grabbed some paper towels to finish cleaning up the juice Wufei berated himself for not paying better attention.

"Sorry."

"Not your fault. I should have been paying better attention."

"You're not my babysitter."

Wufei ground his teeth and stood from cleaning the floor, slamming his fist on the table.

Yes, Heero, _I am_."

Wufei saw Heero's body go completely rigid and his cheeks flamed up with embarrassment and Wufei instantly felt guilty. He sighed heavily and hung his head, unsure of what to say. When neither offered any words to diffuse the tense situation, Wufei went back to cleaning the floor and the pair continued their breakfast in complete silence while thinking the same thing: _I can't do this_.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

After a mentally exhausting morning Wufei and Heero sat down in the living room to recover. Wufei turned the TV on more for background noise than anything. Neither man was really one for watching TV so he found the news station and sat back in the cushiony chair.

"When is the first dose of medicine?"

"I thought we would do that tonight."

"You already have the schedule memorized, don't you?"

"Enough."

"And you have it printed and posted somewhere, don't you?"

"The kitchen."

Wufei smiled and was glad to see that Heero's mouth wasn't turned downward anymore. _He may not be smiling, but he's certainly not frowning anymore_. This was his and Heero's relationship. They knew each other and their habits very well because beneath it all, they were the same. They lived for order and routine. But after that morning's rather disastrous start Wufei was worried that their similar personalities would make this more of an ordeal than he had anticipated. _We just have to work out a system. Once we have a system, things will run smoothly_.

"Heero…..I'm sorry…..for this morning. I didn't mean to yell at you. I just….."

"I'm not exactly innocent either. Let's just forget about it."

"No. You asked for my help but…..I don't know what to do."

"Just…..be you."

Wufei regarded Heero's words for a few moments as he blatantly stared at his friend who was just sitting on the sofa, looking like a lifeless doll, hands just falling to his sides, lying on the cushion, palms up, fingers curling up slightly. _Be me? What the hell does that mean_?

Heero could sense Wufei's eyes on him and he felt his cheeks getting warm under the perceived scrutiny. _In all the years we've known each other, not once have I ever felt nervous around him. But now…..being so weak in front of him…..but isn't that why I asked for him? Because I trusted him to understand_?

"Having you treat me as normally as possible….that's what will make this bearable."

Wufei swallowed hard at Heero's words. Not because they shocked him, but because he knew without a doubt that somehow Heero knew he was staring and knew what he was thinking. _Are we that much alike that he can read my thoughts, even when blind_?

Wufei saw Heero move his head around as if working kinks out of his neck and then he brought his hand up and pulled on his collar. _Oh yeah. I guess I should tell him_.

"Heero."

"Hm?"

"Your shirt. It's----"

Suddenly Wufei's attention was captured by the TV as words started registering in his brain. He reached for the remote, turning the TV up to catch the news story.

"……according to official reports, the explosion of the fireworks warehouse in Lacao last week was not an accident as previously reported. It was a raid by the Preventers Organization in an attempt to shutdown a drug trafficking operation. Sources from the organization call it a success even though several injuries were reported from nearby civilians. We have obtained exclusive footage from an astronomer who was taking pictures of the night sky when the explosion occurred."

Wufei watched as a dark picture with just a few specs of light suddenly lit up with an orange fireball.

"Heero…..by the gods…."

Heero clenched his fists having a good idea of what Wufei was seeing on the TV.

Wufei turned back to Heero and he suddenly felt a spike of panic in his chest. _He survived that. _Even though he saw his friend sitting across from him, and even though he knew that blind or not, Heero would be fine, he couldn't quite banish the sharp feeling in his chest. _He's safe. He's home, and yet…I still feel this fear…what if he **had** been killed? What if….I'd lost him_?

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

For the most part, the day had been quiet with the exception of a momentary difference of opinion as to whether or not Heero should eat lunch. Eventually they reached a compromise and Heero ate an apple. After that it was an uneventful day of reading as Heero listened to the TV and took a nap.

But the sun was just starting to set and soon it would be dinner time so Wufei decided it was time to give Heero his first dose of medication.

"Ok. I think the easiest way to do this would be for you to sit on the sofa and lean your head completely back."

"I think I can manage to get some drops in my eyes."

"This has to be precise, Heero. The eye drops could irritate the raw skin around your eyes. Now do as I say. Please."

Heero remained unmoving, standing on his balcony and staring out into blackness and Wufei thought he was going to have a fight on his hands. But Heero did eventually turn and slowly and cautiously walk towards the sofa from the balcony, almost toppling a lamp as he hit the side table with his knee before reaching his destination. Wufei already had the clean bandages sitting on the table next to the sofa and so he stood behind the sofa and watched Heero do as he instructed while clenching his jaw shut and clasping his hands together in tight fists to keep from reaching out and grabbing hold of Heero and leading him around.

Wufei carefully removed the bandages and let them fall to the floor as he gazed down at Heero's face for the first time. His eyes were still closed, but most of his face, even the skin on his eyelids, was various shades of red from burns he received in the explosion.

"I need you to open your eyes, Heero."

Heero swallowed hard, ready to open his eyes to more darkness. He was surprised at the fact that he had to concentrate to open his eyes. He winced at the pain as his burned eyelids protested at being folded under his brow as he opened his eyes. Since the blackness never faltered, he wasn't convinced he'd succeeded, but when he heard the quiet gasp, he was certain of his accomplishment.

"Tell me."

Wufei started as Heero's eyes suddenly opened and he was faced with dead blue eyes. These were not the vibrant cerulean eyes of Heero Yuy. These were the eyes of dead fish.

"Tell me, Wufei."

"Y-your skin….most of it is red from the burns. But they appear to be healing nicely."

"I know this. Tell me about my **_eyes_**."

"They…..they're….." Wufei took a deep breath and spoke honestly to his friend in a quiet, almost apologetic voice. "They look dead to me."

Wufei saw Heero's body stiffen and his hands clenched tightly into fists on his thighs.

"Thank you."

Wufei nodded, not thinking that Heero couldn't see the gesture, and then prepared to administer the eye drops.

"I'm going to put a drop in your right eye."

With controlled precision Wufei slowly squeezed out one drop to coat Heero's eye. He was awed at Heero's self control over his impulse to blink. _Unless…_

"Did you feel that?"

"Yes."

Relief washed over Wufei and he readied himself to do the left eye.

"Good. Now I'm going to do the other eye."

Once Wufei had dispensed the medicine into Heero's eyes, he retrieved the clean bandages and began to wrap Heero's eyes again. The whole process took about ten minutes and when Wufei returned from putting away the medicine and marking his schedule, he found that Heero remained unmoved.

"I thought I'd start dinner soon. Would you like fish or chicken?"

"Just leave me alone."

Wufei was about to argue, but gave in to Heero's request, going back into the kitchen to begin preparing dinner. Heero stayed in that position until it was time for dinner, Wufei's words ringing through his mind, becoming a mantra of impending doom.

_They look dead….._

_They look dead…._

_They look dead……_

_To be continued….._


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I lay claim only to my family, cat, house and car.

_**There have been so many wonderful and thoughtful and encouraging reviews posted. You guys are great**_!

**Blind**

**Chapter 6**

Wufei hadn't wanted to come in the examination room but Heero had insisted so he found a corner that allowed him to observe what was going on between doctor and patient. He stood there and watched as the doctor unwrapped Heero's bandages and he thought back to the first time he saw those dead eyes and shivered.

The past two days had him at his wit's end trying to be there for his friend but at the same time, allow Heero to function as normally as possible. Heero wanted to do everything for himself and for the most part, that was ok. He could feed himself well enough, but it still resulted in a collection of crumbs or some sort of spillage as he learned to eat all over again. And although it was no surprise that Heero could navigate his own apartment, he insisted on doing it as if his eyesight were working, instead of at a more cautious pace. This resulted in Heero banging a knee here or toppling something there, adding to Heero's already agitated state. Wufei was always on guard whenever Heero was on the move, but yesterday as Wufei reached out and caught a lamp before it came crashing to the floor, Heero whirled on him and yelled.

"Let it go, Chang! It's just a gods damned lamp! I don't want you hovering over me 24-7! Back the hell off!"

That little outburst kept Wufei at a distance, watching as Heero fumbled and cursed through the day, his frustration making things more difficult than usual. But by the time dinner had ended, Heero had calmed down and was more inclined to ask for assistance, even if it was just a little verbal directional help. But things were still not comfortable between them.

One thing that kept both of them tense and Wufei couldn't see any way around it, was the morning routine of washing and dressing. It was quickly agreed that Heero could take a bath by himself, and afterwards Wufei would wash his hair because of the necessity of keeping Heero's bandages dry. But Wufei was still paranoid enough to stay until Heero had actually gotten into the tub safely before leaving him alone. He still felt extremely uncomfortable having to stand by while waiting for a naked Heero to get in the tub and he tried to keep his back turned during the process, but he couldn't control his eyes and they immediately found Heero's exposed body, catching glimpses of a strong back, well-defined arms and smooth thighs. Every morning Wufei would berate himself for not being able to respect Heero's privacy. _What the hell is wrong with me? I've seen him naked before, so why is this any different? Is it because I'm trying __**not**__ to look and it's a basic human instinct to do what you're not supposed to do_?

A low growl brought Wufei out of his reverie and he saw the doctor looking at Heero with wide eyes as Heero held the doctor's wrist firmly away from him.

"Heero, what's wrong?"

"I want a straight answer."

"Mr. Yuy, I have told you before, you have a very serious injury and the eye is a very delicate organ. You must be patient. I can't say for sure one way or another whether or not you will regain your eyesight. I'm sorry."

"Heero, let him go."

Heero turned towards Wufei's voice and even though there were white bandages covering his eyes, Wufei could feel the glare burning into him and he couldn't help but smile. _Such power of will to be able to express his emotions without his eyes_.

Heero glared at Wufei for a few more tense seconds before letting the doctor go and turning to face forward again. The doctor cleared his throat and turned towards Wufei who regarded him with mild amusement.

"Before you go, Mr. Chang, you should stop by the burn unit. I believe Doctor Muraki has left some cream for Mr. Yuy. Just please keep in mind that just like we don't want the eye drops to touch his skin, we don't want the cream to touch his eyes."

Wufei nodded and went over to the examination table to guide Heero down and the pair slowly exited the room. As they walked down the hallway Heero could hear Wufei mumbling under his breath about "arrogant doctors" and he smiled.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The next dose of eye medicine the following day went as smoothly as before, but this time, Wufei had the added task of applying the burn cream to Heero's face.

"Ok, I don't know how this is going to feel, so if it hurts or anything just----"

"I'll be fine."

Wufei squeezed a small amount of white cream on one fingertip then rubbed it over all ten before slowly reaching out and gently rubbing Heero's face. Heero hissed and jerked away from Wufei's touch.

"Does it hurt?"

"N-no. It's…cold. Really cold."

Wufei waited a few seconds and then warned Heero he was beginning again, and this time Heero barely flinched and just tensed up. As Wufei rubbed the burn cream into Heero's skin, he felt the tensed, quivering facial muscles slowly relax under his fingertips. Heero couldn't help but give in to the soothing combination of coldness penetrating his irritated flesh and the feeling of strong fingertips easing the tension in his whole body through simple facial massage.

But the pleasant sensation stopped all too soon and Heero felt the restrictive bandages being put back on his eyes.

"Wufei?" Wufei was halted in his task by a strong grip on his wrist. "Do you think you could wait a few moments before putting the bandages back on?"

"I guess so. Any particular reason? Is something wrong?"

"No. It just feels nice right now."

Wufei smirked as he unwound the two layers of bandages and left Heero to sit with his face in the open air for a few moments. _ I can't blame him. I have a hard time tolerating bandages on any part of my body. I don't even want to imagine the frustration of having them on my face_.

"I'm going to go start dinner. Any requests?"

Heero just shrugged and Wufei frowned. He'd been having a hard time getting Heero to eat sufficient meals. He ate whenever Wufei put food in front of him, but he never finished an entire serving, always leaving food on his plate. _I wonder if he's always been like this or if it's a sign of depression. I better keep an eye on him_.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It had taken longer than expected, but finally, the two friends had adjusted to living together and handling the delicacies of Heero's injury. They had established routine and order and found that they actually complimented each other in their living styles and habits.

Although they still had not conquered one problem: they were having trouble finding things to keep Heero occupied.

"I'm bored."

"Would you like me to turn on the TV?"

"No. There has to be something I can do."

"You could always go out to the corner and beg for alms."

"Do you honestly think I'll let you get away with that?"

"You don't really have a choice at the moment. You can't see."

"I'll find a way."

"I do believe you just found something to occupy your time."

Heero heard the smugness in Wufei's voice and despite his situation he couldn't help but chuckle. This was why he wanted Wufei with him. Yes, he needed someone to take care of him, but he didn't want to feel helpless or be treated like he was helpless.

"I'm going to start lunch. Let me know if you think of anything."

"You'll be the first to know."

Wufei chuckled as he left the room and Heero just sat there will a sly smile on his face, plotting his revenge.

_To be continued……._


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I lay claim only to my family, cat, house and car.

**Blind**

**Chapter 7**

"Would you mind….reading to me?"

Wufei just stared at Heero who was sitting on the sofa looking pathetic while he sat in his chair. The TV was on because that was pretty much all they'd come up with as entertainment for a blind person.

"I…..sure. Anything in particular?"

"I was reading a book that should still be on my nightstand."

"I'll be right back."

It didn't take long for Wufei to return and he sat back down in his chair and began to read. At first he felt awkward reading aloud and didn't like the sound of his own voice.

"Why don't you sit over here? You won't have to speak so loud."

Wufei thought the idea logical and so he moved over to the sofa and sat beside Heero and continued. Even at a lower volume, Wufei quickly got tired of hearing his own voice but he noticed that Heero seemed content, even going so far as to recline into the corner of the sofa, so he resolved himself to read until Heero asked him to stop.

Wufei blinked a few times after turning the page and the words suddenly went blurry. _Ugh. My eyes are_---

"Your eyes are burning, aren't they?"

"Hmmm." Wufei placed the book in his lap and began to rub his eyes.

"Say something next time."

"I'm fine. Just give me a minute."

"Idiot." Heero stood up and looked down in Wufei's general direction. "There's no sense in having both of us go blind. Let's call it a night."

"This is the thanks I get for entertaining you? I'm insulted?"

Heero scoffed and reached out for Wufei's hand. He didn't think anything of the gesture but Wufei's eyes went wide at the open sign of asking for help. Wufei stood up and gently took Heero's hand within his own and guided him towards the stairs. _Wow, he must be really tired. That, or he thinks I need the guidance to the stairs_.

"Were you even wearing your glasses?"

"N-no."

That little detail had somehow escaped his attention. Wufei looked back and saw his glasses sitting on the table next to the chair he normally occupied. He didn't necessarily need them. His vision was fine. But for the amount of reading he did, the doctor had recommended he wear glasses while reading. They were essentially magnifying glasses which cut down on the amount of eye strain.

"Next time, wear your glasses."

Wufei let go of Heero's hand as they approached the stairs and gave his back a little shove, which was enough to make Heero lean forward a few inches.

"Shut up and go to bed."

Heero chuckled and started up the stairs. This was the best he'd felt since the explosion and for the first time he didn't feel the heaviness in his chest_. This is what I wanted: Wufei with me, helping, but still treating me like me. I don't know what I would have done if he wasn't here_.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Wufei lay in bed, eyes closed and body relaxed, just waiting for sleep to overtake him. He thought back on the night and reading to Heero. It was weird reading to someone else. _I wonder how Heero felt? Although he did look really relaxed_.

Just as Wufei's mind started to shut down one last thought occurred to him and he made a mental note to look into it the next day.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"What the hell is this?"

"A book."

"I can tell that for myself. Why the hell did you get me a book in Braille?"

"I thought you might like to read something on your own."

Silence hung in the room and Wufei stared at Heero who was sitting at the kitchen table, body rigid, clutching the book he'd just given him. After breakfast he'd told Heero he had to run a few errands and would be back in an hour or so. Last night it occurred to him that Heero could spend some of his time learning Braille. He saw no downside to the plan and truly thought Heero would appreciate the gesture. However, it appeared he'd been dead wrong.

Heero shoved the book away from him like a petulant child and stood up, leaving Wufei behind. Not wanting to drop the subject before it had even been picked up, Wufei followed Heero into the living room and stood there with his arms crossed over his chest, frowning at Heero as he threw himself on the sofa with a grunt.

"What's your problem? I thought you were looking for something to occupy your time."

"Not that."

"Why not? You enjoy reading."

Heero sat up and turned to Wufei, his anger evident.

"I like to read with my eyes, Chang. _My eyes_. Not my gods damned fingers!"

"But, Heero----"

"I _**will**_ get my sight back! I don't need to learn Braille!"

And suddenly Wufei realized his grave miscalculation. He sighed and hung his head as he sat down in the chair opposite Heero.

"Heero….I'm sorry. That's not how I meant the book to be perceived. I just thought….you like to read and you're always up for a challenge and….I'm sorry."

Heero heard the regret in the quiet voice and he slumped back into the sofa with a sigh.

"So you haven't given up on me."

"I would never give up on you, Heero. You are one of the few constants in my life."

Heero was shocked not only to get a response to a thought he didn't realize he spoke aloud, but at the response itself. The voice may have been quiet, but it held a strong sense of conviction.

"Thank you."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"As soon as I'm done the dishes we're going out for awhile."

"What?"

"I called the doctor yesterday and he said your skin should be healed enough for you to go outdoors for a little bit as long as the weather was decent. It's no big deal but I figured it would get you out of the house for awhile."

Heero couldn't recall the last time he felt so excited. He immediately stood up and started for the front door when Wufei called after him.

"Heero, stop!"

Wufei managed to grab Heero before he collided with the small table in the foyer by wrapping his arms around the man from behind. They stood there, Wufei's arms pinning Heero's to his side as his cheeks brushed against Heero's. Heero could feel his heart pounding in his chest and his cheeks burning from the closeness.

"Wu….fei?"

"You almost knocked over the foyer table. What were you thinking?"

"I….."

Heero took a deep, calming breath before answering. _What the hell was I thinking? And why does Wufei being so close…..bother me_?

"I guess I wasn't."

Wufei smiled and let go of Heero, placing his hand on his own bicep and guiding him back to the kitchen.

"I don't blame you for being excited about getting out of the house, but just give me a minute, ok?"

Heero yanked himself free of Wufei's guiding arm and stood rigid, hands clenched at his sides.

"Don't speak to me like I'm some child."

"Then stop acting like one."

Wufei wasn't about to back down from any of Heero's mood swings. He decided that the best way to deal with Heero's attitude was to give it right back. _He wants to be treated like normal, then that's what he'll get_.

The friends fell into a staring contest and Wufei couldn't help but think how he was at an extreme disadvantage.

"I refuse to participate in a staring match with a blind man. When you get your eyesight back, we'll have a fair contest. Agreed?"

Wufei's matter-of-act statement stunned Heero for a few seconds until finally he couldn't help but let a smirk break free. He scoffed and reached out a hand for assistance which was quickly enveloped within a warm hand.

"Deal."

_To be continued….._


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I lay claim only to my family, cat, house and car.

**Blind**

**Chapter 8**

"Duo will be returning in a few days."

Wufei waited to see if he would receive an answer but Heero just sat there, staring straight out. Currently they were sitting on a bench overlooking a pond with ducks milling about, begging for food.

"He's going to be very mad."

"He knows I'm injured."

Thinking of how he was going to explain himself to Duo who he did in fact lie to, reminded Heero of something that he was curious about.

"Duo said you told him I was injured. How did you come by that information?"

Wufei flinched as he tossed a few more breadcrumbs to some passing ducks. _I shouldn't lie to him, but….how foolish will I seem to say I had a nightmare_?

"Well? It's not like you to spy on other people's missions."

"I wasn't spying! I was worried!"

Both men turned to face each other, each in shock. Heero was shocked to hear Wufei's reasoning and Wufei was shocked he'd admitted to such a thing. Knowing he was stuck now and had to tell the truth Wufei sighed and turned back to feeding the ducks.

"I had…..a nightmare. And I just couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong so I checked your mission status."

"You had a dream about me?"

"I guess. I don't really remember anything about it other than screaming your name and having this intense feeling of dread."

"It wasn't a dream then."

"Excuse me?"

"It was a vision. I _was_ in danger."

Wufei turned to stare at Heero who was now facing downward as if staring at his hands which were currently busy pulling at a stray piece of string on his shirt hem. _I suppose he's right. Although I don't recall seeing anything. It was just that awful feeling_. Wufei brought his hand up to his chest and clutched at his shirt as the feeling of dread ghosted through him. _That feeling……it was horrible. I felt helpless and I was so scared_.

"So next time…..do you think you could get the message a little quicker?"

Wufei blinked a few times, processing Heero's request and before he could say anything, Heero turned to face him, a smile on his face. Wufei scoffed and smiled back, fighting the urge to hit Heero for his sarcasm. But his smile faded as he continued to face his grinning friend when he thought about how much he'd like to see sparkling cerulean eyes with the warm smile. _He has such a wonderful smile. I'll do everything I can to make sure he keeps it_.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Wufei smiled as he turned his attention to the book laying in his lap. They'd been walking all morning and even stopped off at the grocery store on their way back. _I can't believe how much he acts like a little kid at the grocery store. He's such an impulse buyer. And it's hardly ever anything good. How does he manage to stay in such good shape when he eats such unhealthy foods_?

Wufei heard a small growl and he looked up to see Heero's lips pressed together in agitation. Currently he was sitting on the floor with a book and tape recorder sitting before him. He was wearing headphones and his fingers slowly made their way across the page.

Wufei had offered to help him learn Braille but he insisted on using the instructional tape that was included with the workbook, stating he believed the people on the tape knew more about teaching Braille than Wufei did. Since he had said it with a smirk on his face, Wufei knew Heero was just teasing and so just scoffed and let him do as he pleased. But he felt a little left out. _I'm supposed to help him, not some stupid tape_.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The sound of the tape recorder clicking off caught Wufei's attention and he looked up from his book.

"So…are you an expert yet?"

"Hmph."

Wufei chuckled and stood up to retrieve the other tapes sitting on the side table. He leaned over and switched up the tapes and just as he was about to sit down, Heero spoke up.

"Hey, do you have a minute to help me with something?"

"Of course. What do you need?"

"I need you to sit with me for a moment. I want to try an experiment."

Happy to be of some help to Heero, Wufei took his place on the sofa and just as he was about to inquire what Heero's experiment was, he suddenly found Heero's hands on his face. Wufei jerked back with a startled noise.

"Hey. Stay still."

"Huh? What are you---?"

"I said stay still; otherwise I might poke you in the eye."

Wufei stayed perfectly still as Heero's fingertips slowly and cautiously explored his face. He closed his eyes as they lightly brushed over them.

"One of the exercises they suggest is tactile exploration. So I thought you would be a good subject."

Wufei felt his heart pounding in his chest and he tried to calm it with reason, but it didn't seem to have any effect. _He's just learning. This is an experiment to help him better function without-----_

You have very long and thick eyelashes."

Wufei opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. He wasn't even sure what to say to the comment. Besides, he didn't have time to think on it, because Heero's hands were now cupping his cheeks.

"You're blushing, aren't you? I can feel the heat on your cheeks."

Wufei figured the best plan of action was none at all, and that included speaking. What Heero didn't know was that it wasn't just his cheeks that were warm. His entire body was overheating from the small, inquisitive touches and observations.

Suddenly, fingertips brushed his lips and he jerked back again and gasped.

"What's wrong?"

"No…It's not….I just forgot…" Wufei stood up and headed up the stairs, calling down to Heero. "I owe Lady Une a progress report. I'm just going to grab my laptop."

Heero sat there and waited until he heard Wufei's door open, then he brought his fingertips to his own lips. _Wufei…..you felt it too, didn't you_?

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Wufei opened his bedroom door and quickly closed it, leaning his back against it and staring forward, his hand on his chest, trying to calm his thundering heart.

_What was that? I wonder if he was completely oblivious to what he was actually doing. Knowing Heero, probably_.

Thinking of his analytical friend Wufei scoffed and shook his head as he pushed off the door to retrieve his laptop.

_I can't believe I let it get to me. Of course this was just another mission for Heero Yuy. Besides, he's already in love with his laptop._

Having a mental picture of a possessive Heero hugging his laptop to him as he slept peacefully brought a smile to his face and Wufei bounded down the stairs, properly armed to stand his ground against Heero's experiments.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Heero listened to the familiar click clacking of fingers dancing across computer keys and Heero felt an itchy sensation in his fingers. He hadn't used his laptop in what seemed like ages and just hearing Wufei typing away was driving him mad with jealousy and withdraw.

Finally he stood up and made his way into the kitchen to get a drink. _I have to get out of here. The sound is becoming cruel_. As he made his way out of the grouping of living room furniture and covered the short distance to the kitchen, he detected a change in the typing tempo. It had slowed and there were little breaks in the rhythm.

Heero just smirked and shook his head. _He's watching me, making sure I'm ok_.

"You need anything while I'm up?"

The clacking stopped and there was a moment of silence until finally Wufei spoke up, casual and unassuming.

"I could go for a sandwich and soda, thanks."

The clacking immediately picked back up to its original tempo and Heero chuckled as he continued into the kitchen. _Smartass_.

_To be continued…._


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I lay claim only to my family, cat, house and car.

_**Duo returns**_!!

**Blind**

**Chapter 9**

It was a bright sunny day with a blue sky and white puffy clouds with just the slightest breeze. Or so Wufei had informed him. And that's why he found himself walking through the park with Wufei, his hand holding onto a well-toned bicep to guide him. But despite the peaceful setting Heero found there was still a problem.

It wasn't that he didn't want to be outside. On the contrary, it was refreshing. And it wasn't that he didn't want to spend time with Wufei. He did want to spend time with his friend. As a matter of fact, he often requested to go on walks just so he could be close to the other man. And _**that**_ was the problem.

Heero wasn't one to rely on others but this injury that had robbed him of his sight forced his hand. So logically he thought Wufei would be the best choice. They were of like temperaments. And things eventually worked themselves out to prove Heero's reasoning correct. However, having Wufei living with him created an unexpected dilemma.

When Heero would look ahead and think about the day he would regain his sight and no longer rely on Wufei, he felt…..disappointed. _He'll leave and I'll be alone again_. Heero never really had a problem with living by himself before and was thankful to have his own space away from everyone and everything. But living with Wufei had given him a new perspective on things. He found he liked having someone around. No, not someone. Wufei. _I would never be able to tolerate anyone else. I learned that lesson with Duo._

Wufei felt Heero's grip on his arm tighten and he looked over at his friend.

"Is everything alright, Heero?"

"Of course."

As they continued their leisurely stroll, Heero started to think about the man at his side. The man whose presence he'd taken for granted for so long. He was never foolish enough to think that Wufei, or any of them, would be around forever. He was a realist after all. But since losing his sight and being with Wufei day in and day out, he'd come to appreciate many things about his friend that he never bothered to notice before.

The first thing he became aware of was the sound of Wufei's voice. He could have easily identified Wufei's voice amongst a thousand if necessary. But only recently could he describe it. It was deep, but usually soft on the ears, reflecting the man's physical strength tempered with grace. It was a voice that could quietly command even though Wufei preferred to work with a partner and not lead a team. And Heero also noticed that if he let himself just concentrate on the sound of Wufei's voice instead of his actual words, he felt as if it was covering him, like a warm blanket.

Another thing Heero had come to notice about Wufei was his smell. Never in his entire life had he ever noticed how someone smelled before, unless they were covered in filth or drenched in perfume, in which case he quickly walked away. But Wufei smelled of sandalwood and flowers. It wasn't overpowering and Heero couldn't really smell it unless Wufei was close. He remembered when he discovered a bar of soap that smelled of sandalwood and what he assumed was shampoo that gave him that vague floral scent in a shower caddy on the floor of his bathroom. He remembered being startled and feeling like some pervert when Wufei knocked on the bathroom door, asking if he was ok for taking so long. Being outdoors he really couldn't smell Wufei right now, even with their close proximity. But when the breeze died down, even for a few seconds, he was able to inhale the soothing scent and inwardly he smiled.

The most disturbing thing Heero had come to realize about his longtime friend was his soft skin and how much he enjoyed feeling it. Whether he was guiding Heero with an arm when they walked or placing his hands on objects to give him some perspective, Heero took full advantage of Wufei's touch. His hands, which he thought would be calloused like his own after years of handling guns and working on machinery, were soft. _Could it be that sandalwood soap_?

As they continued on their leisurely walk Heero's thoughts remained on the man walking next to him and he felt a tightness growing in his chest that worried him.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Duo was surprised when Wufei answered the phone at Heero's house, but accepted the excuse of Heero being detained in the bathroom. However, when he showed up the next day and Wufei answered the door, his suspicious nature kicked in.

"Hey, 'Fei. What're you doing here?"

"Come on in, Duo."

Duo frowned at the brusque greeting and only entered the apartment enough for Wufei to close the door. Wufei walked so he was in front of Duo, partially blocking the walkway into the living room, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Uh, 'Fei? Is…..something going on I should know about?"

"Yes. But before I tell you, I want you to promise me that you will not go ballistic."

Duo's face darkened and he strode towards Wufei but his friend stiff-armed him in the chest, halting his progress.

"What's going on, 'Fei? Just tell me----"

"Promise me, first."

Duo saw the warning in Wufei's eyes and he took a deep breath, knowing arguing wasn't going to get him anywhere.

"Fine. I promise. Now please---"

"Heero was injured on his last mission."

"O-Okay. So he's injured. Why the big production?"

Wufei could hear the panic in Duo more than the young man was letting on. _He's going to go crazy no matter what promise he made. Oh well, might as well get this over with._

"He's blind, Duo."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I….I can't believe you didn't tell me."

Heero wasn't surprised at the hurt and anger coming from his friend. Duo had returned from his mission two days ago and when he stopped by today to see how Heero was enjoying his vacation, he'd been shocked to find out the truth.

Wufei had stopped him in the foyer and told him what happened. There had been lots of yelling but Wufei managed to calm Duo down enough before leaving him in the living room to talk with Heero. They sat there in silence for quite awhile and Heero would have questioned whether or not Duo was still there if he hadn't smelled his cologne and heard him sigh every couple of minutes.

"Duo, I didn't tell anybody."

"You told Wufei!"

"I needed his help."

"Why didn't you need my help? Why didn't you ask me to stay with you? Oh wait! You _did_ ask for my help. You asked me to clean your apartment and buy groceries like a god damn _**maid**_!"

"Enough!"

Duo was sitting on the edge of the sofa, his anger not dissipating in the face of Heero's own anger. He sat there, scowling at his best friend, waiting for his excuses.

"You had a mission and I didn't want you worrying about me to interfere." Heero thought about sparing Duo's feelings and just leaving it at that, but he realized that Duo had always been honest with him and there was no reason for him not to do the same. "And even if you didn't have a mission, I would have still asked for Wufei. He and I are very alike and he understands my need to be independent."

"But you're blind!"

"And you're too kindhearted." Heero's voice lost its edge and volume. "You would have insisted on doing everything for me and as well-intentioned as you would have been, I would have hated you for it."

Duo sighed and slumped back into the sofa, defeated. Heero was right. Duo would have doted on him and not let him do a thing for himself. Whether it was eating, dressing, going to the toilet or just walking around his house, Duo would have been there to assist him in everything.

"I understand."

"Do you?"

"Yeah. You needed a hard ass like yourself and that's definitely Wufei." Both men chuckled, while upstairs Wufei sneezed. "We're ok, Heero. I just wish I could help, ya know?"

"You can."

"Really? How?"

Heero heard the enthusiasm in Duo's voice and he hoped his friend kept it after he made his request.

"I need you to get Wufei out of the apartment."

"Huh? Why?"

"He's been stuck here with me since I got back and he needs to get out for a bit."

"Um….ok."

"Thanks."

"No problem." Duo stood up and faced the loft and yelled. "Hey, Wufei!" It didn't take long for a door to open and for Wufei to appear at the railing. "Heero says you're smothering him and that I should take you away for a few hours. Tomorrow good for you?"

Heero just shook his head while Duo grinned up at him. Wufei couldn't help the smile as he kept his gaze on Heero.

"Tomorrow sounds fine. Be here at 9am." Wufei saw Heero stiffen and he looked up in apparent surprise. Wufei's smile grew a fraction. "Did you need anything else?"

"Nope."

"Alright. Well, call me when you're both hungry and we'll order out."

Duo saw the glint in the onyx eyes and the almost malicious smile from their friend and knew that he'd gotten Heero in trouble. Which was what he'd intended to do. He sat back down with a satisfied grin on his face and looked over to his best friend. By body language alone Duo could see how mad Heero was. _Man, if he could see right now, I bet that glare would kill me where I sit_.

"Will that be the extent of your childish revenge or should I expect more?"

Duo chuckled at the positively acidic tone being directed his way.

"I guess you'll just have to wait and find out."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Wufei closed the door behind Duo and returned to the living room. The threesome had eaten a leisurely dinner and had enjoyed Duo's extensive knowledge of the local gossip before Wufei finally kicked him out around 10p.m.

"Are you ready for bed?"

"Wufei…"

"Yes?"

"I didn't tell Duo you were smothering me."

"I know."

"Good."

Heero felt a presence in front of him and he reached out, his hand quickly enveloped within Wufei's. He allowed himself to be guided to the stairs and then Wufei let go to allow Heero to navigate them alone as he stayed a few paces behind. As they ascended the staircase Heero decided to voice his curiosity.

"Why did you agree to go out with Duo so easily?"

"Why not? Duo's my friend. We've gone out before."

Heero stopped and turned back towards the sound of Wufei's voice, unable to keep the surprise from his own.

"You have?"

"Sure."

"What did you do?"

Wufei shrugged. "Just normal stuff. Why?"

"Like what?"

"Heero….Why all the questions? Do you see me as some sort of hermit? Or perhaps I'm not fun enough for Duo?"

"No, it's not that at all. I'm just…..surprised."

"Well then sound surprised and not like an interrogation officer. C'mon."

Once they reached the top of the stairs, Heero felt his way along the bare wall to the second door and entered his bedroom. Wufei automatically went to retrieve a t-shirt and tossed it on the bed next to Heero who had already removed his shirt and socks and was standing up to take his pants off.

Wufei collected the discarded clothes and deposited them in the hamper while trying not to look at the half naked man in the room. Once dressed, Heero made his way into the bathroom to brush his teeth. Wufei winced when he heard the cup hit the floor and he waited to hear if Heero would ask for assistance, but no request came and eventually Heero emerged and climbed into his bed.

"Goodnight, Heero."

"Wait." Wufei turned around in the doorway and regarded the man sitting in his bed. "You never answered my question."

"Which one. There were so many."

Wufei smirked as he watched Heero's lips press together in a thin line of annoyance.

"What did you and Duo do when you went out?"

Wufei frowned. _Why is he so stuck on this? Is he so bored he has nothing better to do than grill me with questions? Or is Duo finally becoming a bad influence on him_?

"Lots of things. Dinner, drinking, sex, basketball, wor---"

"What?!"

"I'm trying to answer your question, Heero, don't yell."

Wufei stared at Heero, not having to hide his smile, but keeping his voice casual. He didn't know why Heero was so curious about him and Duo, but he was going to make him pay for it. Beings friends with Duo Maxwell all these years, something was bound to rub off and apparently it was Duo's tendency to tease his friends.

Wufei waited for Heero to say something, but for several moments he just sat there, looking blindly towards Wufei. Then the Chinese man noticed the clenched fists and the flushed cheeks. _Oh shit. Does he have a thing for Duo? Oh no…the room. Does he keep the room for Duo? Is it his way of keeping him around longer?_

"Heero. You know I was kidding, right? You may be blind right now but you're not gullible."

Heero felt his heart start to beat again as his mind came out of its shock. _Of course he was joking. I knew that, right? But….why did I feel like my heart was just ripped out? Could I really be jealous of Wufei and Duo spending time together_?

"Heero?" Heero started slightly and shook his head as he began to lie down in his bed. "Hey, are you alright?" Wufei walked up to the bed and reached out for Heero but the cold voice stopped him and he backed away.

"I just have a headache. Goodnight."

"A-alright." Wufei looked back at the figure in the bed, fearful he had upset Heero with his little joke. _I didn't know. I'm sorry, Heero_. "Goodnight."

Wufei wandered into his bedroom and threw himself on the bed with a sigh, his arm coming to rest over his eyes. _How was I supposed to know Heero had a thing for Duo? I didn't even know he was gay_.

After a few minutes of feeling guilty for joking with Heero about an unknown sensitive subject, Wufei stood up and threw his clothes in the hamper and crawled into bed. Normally he would wear pajamas but Heero kept his place too warm for his liking when it came to sleeping so he opted for nothing other than boxers. _Besides, who's going to see me_?

As Wufei lay there he thought of Heero and Duo as a couple and his brow furrowed. He'd known them for years and had seen enough of their friendship to doubt that they'd ever work as a couple. They had lived together at one point but it didn't last long and Wufei got the impression that it was Heero who ended it for whatever reason.

And being Duo's best friend earned Heero the distinct pleasure of strong arms wrapping around his shoulders and leading him wherever or pulling him down into an impromptu wrestling match. In other words, Duo and Heero had already gotten as physically close as two people could get without having sex.

_But their personalities……they say opposites attract but I don't think Heero prescribes to that theory. So then…..who is Heero's type?_

Realizing he wouldn't be getting to sleep any time soon, Wufei contemplated his own question.

_The person would have to be athletic but not bulging with muscles. They couldn't be too flashy with either their personality or their image. He has simple but refined tastes in most things. Outdoorsy. A dry and dark sense of humor. They'd have to be strong mentally. He comes with a lot of baggage and needs someone who will accept him, no questions asked._

Wufei scoffed as he rolled over and kicked his feet out from under the covers to cool his body down. _Good luck finding somebody like that, Heero_.

_To be continued…._


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I lay claim only to my family, cat, house and car.

_**Hugs and kisses to everyone who has been kind enough to send me messages! I love them so! I wish I had the discipline to respond to each and everyone individually but, alas, you see how long it takes me to update, so image how long it would take to respond. **_

_**Anyway, the boys are taking a little trip today…enjoy!**_

**Blind**

**Chapter 10**

Wufei was grateful that Heero seemed to be himself the next morning, if a little tired. _Apparently neither one of us got too much sleep last night_. They continued along in their normal morning routine and by the time Duo arrived Wufei was cleaning up the breakfast dishes.

"Hey, 'Fei, you ready?"

"Right on time, Duo. How unusual for you."

"Well, since you didn't tell me where or what we'd be doing today, I figured I should be on time."

Wufei smiled and turned to Heero who was still sitting at the kitchen table.

"Ready to go?"

"I can make it to the living room myself. You two go on ahead."

"You misunderstand, Heero. You're going with us."

"What?!"

Wufei's malicious side was grinning from ear to ear as his two friends chimed in with the same question in unison.

"I've prepared lunches and I have drinks and snacks and all the necessary supplies for our day. Shall we, gentleman?"

Duo shrugged and started to leave the kitchen when Wufei called out to him.

"Duo. Would you mind helping Heero to the car? I'm going to get our stuff."

Wufei left the kitchen and Heero stood up, reaching out for Duo who offered an arm. The pair made their way to the car where they found Wufei already closing the trunk and getting in the backseat.

"Duo?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you…..mind that I'm coming with you two?"

"No. I was just a little surprised."

Duo's brow creased slightly at Heero's inquiry. _Does he know how I feel about Wufei? How the hell could he know that?! Did being blind give him some sort of ESP_? As Duo's mind continued to race with questions, he helped Heero into the car and walked around to the driver's side. He started the car and before he pulled away he looked in his rearview mirror and was pleased to see onyx eyes meet his gaze. Duo smiled as he put the car in drive and drove off.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Wufei had tried to stay in the background as much as possible that day, allowing Heero and Duo to spend some time together. However, their enthusiastic friend was having no part of it and he kept bringing Wufei into the conversations or throwing an arm around his shoulders as the threesome awkwardly walked along the quiet streets of the seaside town before heading to the beach: Wufei trying to offer a steady arm to guide Heero while being crushed against Duo's side.

When they finally made their way to the beach they were surprised to find it so empty until Heero pointed out that it was the middle of the week and not quite summer yet. But that didn't stop Duo.

"Come on, 'Fei, let's go for a swim!"

"You go ahead, I'll wait here with Heero."

"Oh, come on!"

"Go."

Wufei looked from Duo to Heero, frowning. He didn't want to go off and leave Heero by himself, especially since Wufei and Duo being together seemed to bother Heero.

"No, I'll wait here. The water's too cold anyway."

Duo reached out and grabbed Wufei's upper arm, dragging him towards the water.

"You big sissy! I'm going to drag you in if it takes me all day!"

"Maxwell! Let go of me!"

"C'mon, 'Fei!"

Wufei and Duo grappled all the way to the ocean's edge, each gaining and losing advantages as they used all their hand-to-hand combat skills. But it was Duo who finally won, finding an opening and using it to lift Wufei up and toss him into the ocean.

"Ha!"

When Wufei emerged and found his footing he glowered at his triumphant friend.

"You will pay for this, Maxwell."

"Bring it on, _Chang_."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Heero had tried to relax and enjoy his surroundings by pulling out a book and practicing his Braille. Oddly enough, concentrating on learning the form of communication had settled his anxiety about his injury. But he couldn't concentrate on his book due to the nearby sounds of Wufei's and Duo's friendly struggle. There was Duo's taunting voice and Wufei's irritated voice that was becoming progressively more like a growl with each new snide comment by Duo. Heero couldn't help but smile.

Then the sounds changed. The friends were no longer exchanging insults but blows instead. The sounds of grunts and the occasional sound of flesh being smacked filled the air and Heero lost his smile_. They're wrestling. I should have known it would deteriorate into something like that with Duo around_.

As Heero sat there and tried to read his book, the sounds of his friends' bout kept intruding and for the first time he realized how much fighting, wrestling specifically, sounded an awful lot like something else two half naked people would do. Heero felt his cheeks getting warm and he quickly tried to banish the images of a flush and sweaty Wufei from his mind.

Suddenly the sound of a splash and triumphant cry from Duo broke Heero from his tortured thoughts. _Wufei lost. Great. It'll be his grumpiness and Duo's crowing for the rest of the day. _Heero heard Wufei's retort and his ears perked up. _He didn't sound pissed like usual. He sounded…...excited. Was he really joking last night, or trying to spare my feelings? And if he was trying to spare my feelings….how much does he know_?

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Wufei landed on his back with Duo quickly pinning his hands above his head.

"Maxwell!"

"Admit it, 'Fei."

"Get off of me."

Duo leaned down, his amethyst eyes glinting with mischief. "Just say it."

Wufei looked up and watched, entranced as a droplet of water made its way slowly down a tendril of hair and hung there, teasing Wufei, making him wonder if it was going to drop on his face. Finally the small droplet of water splashed on his cheek and now Wufei focused on the amethyst eyes staring down at him and he couldn't help but feel the same way about the look in those eyes. _He's teasing me, I know this. But that look….there's something there…_

Duo started to close the small distance between them, the deep onyx eyes drawing him in. And just as they began sharing the same exhaled huffs of breath, Heero's voice sounded and Duo froze.

"Are you guys done fooling around? I'm getting hungry."

Onyx and amethyst stared at each other, blinking themselves back to reality. Suddenly, Wufei shoved Duo off and scrambled over to Heero who was still sitting where they left him. He sat down and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around his shoulders before starting to unpack their lunch.

"I apologize, Heero. I hadn't meant to leave you alone for all this time."

"Don't apologize. You sounded like you were having fun."

Wufei didn't answer as he continued to unpack the lunch. When Duo sat down to join them, he noticed how tense Wufei was and saw his flushed face. He kept his eyes lowered and Duo knew better than to push his friend right now. _But what was that? Was it just a moment, or was there something behind it? _

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The car ride back to Heero's apartment was quiet for the most part. It had been a long day and everyone was tired. Wufei had receded into the background from lunchtime on feigning a headache, and left Duo and Heero to make their own entertainment. Duo checked the rearview mirror and saw glinting onyx eyes dart away quickly.

Duo had become aware of his crush on his longtime friend a few months back and had been debating ever since if risking their friendship was worth it. But now, after coming so close to kissing Wufei, he'd come to the conclusion that it was indeed worth it._ Just wait until we get home, 'Fei. I'm not going to let this opportunity pass me by. I've been waiting and now's my chance_.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Wufei was thankful that Duo hadn't tried to push him into pretending to be a frolicking threesome after lunch. What had almost transpired between them had Wufei very upset and Duo was perceptive enough to see that and knew to back off. _Thank goodness Heero doesn't suspect anything. If he knew….he'd think I was lying earlier about the joke and that we'd seriously slept together_.

He'd claimed to have a headache and both men accepted the excuse without argument and the day continued. Wufei was happy to see Heero enjoying himself, but there was this little tickle of anxiety that wouldn't go away whenever he caught sight of the pair. _I just want to get home and forget this whole day. But knowing Duo….._

Wufei let his eyes wander to the rearview mirror and he caught the partial reflection of Duo's face as he drove them all home, amethyst eyes watching him intently. Wufei looked away quickly, suddenly finding the passing lights fascinating. _Damn you, Duo_.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Duo looked up as a door from the second landing slammed and saw Wufei standing there, looking frustrated. _What were those two arguing about? I thought Heero said everything was working out well between them_.

After having Heero kick him out of his bedroom saying in no uncertain terms, with a few expletives thrown in for color, that he was perfectly capable of putting himself to bed, Wufei reluctantly made his way down the staircase to see Duo waiting for him. His plan to avoid Duo thwarted, Wufei looked away and headed for the kitchen speaking to his friend who was following him.

"Today was fun, Duo, thank you for driving us to the beach."

"My pleasure."

Wufei began to unpack the picnic basket that he set on the kitchen table while trying to ignore the amethysts he knew were staring at him.

"Here, let me help you."

Duo reached in the basket but Wufei snatched the basket away and placed it on the counter opposite him, turning his back to his friend.

"You don't need to do that. You should just go home. It's been a long day."

"'Fei…."

Wufei hung his head and balled his hands into fists.

"Go home, Duo."

"Since when are you so eager to get rid of me?"

Duo took a step towards Wufei as the other man swung around and the pair almost collided. Wufei fell back against the counter, his hands bracing him and he glared at Duo.

"I am not eager to get rid of you. I'm just tired and---"

"Avoiding me." Wufei hung his head to avoid Duo's gaze and hide his warm cheeks. "Ever since we almost kissed you've been avoiding me."

Duo stepped into Wufei and rested his forehead against Wufei's. _I have to take this chance. I have to know_.

"I think we should kiss."

Wufei looked up, onyx eyes wide as he gazed at his close friend. _Why does he want to kiss me_?

"Are you insane?!"

"No. I just figured we should because whatever was happening back there was interrupted by Heero."

Wufei pushed Duo away and glared at him. _He's just mocking me now. I should have known better!_

"Stop playing around and get out, Maxwell!"

"I'm serious!"

Wufei saw the sincerity in the amethyst eyes and heard the indignant tone and his anger vanished.

"You're…..serious? But why…..would you want to kiss me?"

Duo's face morphed into his devilish smile that Wufei knew meant nothing but trouble. _My god, what is he thinking now_?

"I understand. You're afraid I'm a better kisser than you are."

Onyx eyes narrowed and Wufei's voice became dangerously low.

"Do you honestly think that childish psychology will work on me? Get out, Maxwell. Goodnight."

"Ok, ok, but I'm telling you….you're missing out."

Wufei grunted and turned back to unpacking the basket. _I highly doubt kissing Duo would be the highlight of my day_.

Suddenly Wufei was roughly whirled around from behind by a strong hand on his bicep and before he could react or say anything, he found himself being pressed against the counter, Duo's lips making a veritable feast of his own. Soft lips and a talented tongue coaxed Wufei's lips open and that's when Wufei lost all train of thought. When he finally regained his senses, he was leaning against the counter, panting and overheated, looking at an equally panting but very smug looking Duo.

"You're looking kinda flushed there, 'Fei so I better let you get some rest. We'll, uh, continue this later. Goodnight."

Wufei stood there until he heard the front door close, but then he immediately sank to his knees, covering his mouth as if preventing himself from screaming. His eyes gazed wide and unseeing at the floor and he was completely unaware of the man standing in the doorway.

_To be continued…_


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I lay claim only to my family, cat, house and car.

**Author's confession**: I smiled as I posted the last chapter, knowing someone, somewhere, would have the desired reaction (yay luc!). I thank you all for your continued support and I hope this story keeps living up to your expectations.

**Blind**

**Chapter 11**

Heero heard Wufei yelling from upstairs and took that as his queue to investigate. He'd sensed the uneasiness in Wufei ever since he and Duo came back from playing around and he had a sick feeling in his stomach. And when he heard Wufei yell, it wasn't his normal admonishing tone. He was upset.

So as he made his way downstairs he listened as much as he could, but the pair had since lowered their voices. Just as he reached the bottom of the stairs he heard the front door close. He made his way slowly towards the kitchen and stopped when he reached the doorway. But he didn't hear any noise at all and wondered if it wasn't Wufei and Duo leaving out the front door. _Maybe Wufei decided to take the argument outside. If that's the case, things are really bad_.

"Hee…ro?" Wufei slowly stood up and looked at Heero suspiciously. _Oh gods. How much did he hear_?

"So you are here. Thought you might have left with Duo."

"Why would I do that?"

Heero didn't like the defensiveness in Wufei's tone and immediately knew something big had happened.

"I heard you yell. Thought you two might be fighting. What happened?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Duo was just……" Wufei took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. "…..being Duo, I guess."

Wufei began to unpack the basket and put things away and turned when he heard the chair scrape across the floor.

"You don't need to stay up. Go to bed. Rest."

"I'm not an old man. Besides, you sound more worn out than I do."

Wufei didn't say anything; he just continued to unpack the basket. After a few quiet moments with the only sounds being cabinets opening and closing, Heero tried a different tactic.

"Not being able to see, I've had to rediscover a lot of things. And today I discovered that wrestling sounds a lot like people having sex."

Wufei gasped and dropped the container he was holding, spilling pieces of fruit across the floor.

"Wha--? Why--? Heero…..you're becoming as uncouth as Duo."

With an exasperated sigh Wufei started cleaning up his mess and desperately wished for Heero to leave him alone.

"If you're going to be up for awhile, why don't you go watch TV?"

"Trying to get rid of me?"

"No."

"Then I'll stay."

"Alright, fine. I'm trying to get rid of you. I'm sorry, Heero, I just need some time to think----"

"What did he do to you?"

Wufei started at the dark, demanding tone of Heero's voice and he looked up to see Heero still facing forward, on the table his hands were clasped tightly to the point of shaking.

"He didn't---"

"Do not insult me. Tell me."

Wufei wasn't sure he could talk his way out of this. Heero seemed very determined and upset and as much as he didn't want that anger turned on him, he didn't want to keep secrets from Heero either. _But if he really does have a thing for Duo….._

"He…..kissed me." Wufei watched as Heero's body went rigid and he waited for a response, but none ever came. "I-I'm sure he was just teasing me. But it was inappropriate and…..I'm just a bit angry with him right now."

Heero tried to maintain his sense of calm as he listened to Wufei. _He sounds sincere. He's telling the truth. And I did hear him yell at Duo. But still…..what would prompt Duo to kiss Wufei? That's not his style. He doesn't make passes at people as a joke_.

"Do you really think he was teasing you, Wufei?"

Wufei slammed the cabinet shut and hung his head as he braced his hands on the kitchen counter and tried to calm his upset mind. _I don't know if he was teasing me. He seemed serious at one point but then that smirk and his cavalier attitude….. There's no way that meant anything to him_.

"Of course, what other reason could that idiot have?"

Heero heard the quiet, confused voice and he wondered if Wufei realized he spoke the question aloud. _It almost sounded like an echoed thought_.

"It's possible Duo is attracted to you."

Wufei whirled around and stared at Heero's back, wide-eyed, his cheeks burning.

"That's ridiculous!"

"I don't think so. Duo may do a lot of stupid things, but he's not the type to kiss someone for no good reason."

Wufei contemplated Heero's words and he knew Heero was right. He joked around a lot and he craved physical contact, but he never just kissed someone as a lark. _But he still shouldn't have kissed me, whatever his reasons were_.

"But…..I'm not interested in Duo like that."

Heero's entire body sagged under the relief of hearing Wufei's words and he exhaled as he lowered his head to the kitchen table, his hands clasped behind his neck.

"Heero? Are you alright?"

Wufei was by his side in one step, a hand gently squeezing Heero's shoulder. Heero let his hand slide down from his neck to come to rest on Wufei's hand. He ran his fingertips over the back of Wufei's hands, a gesture that was soothing to both of them, unbeknownst to Heero.

"I'm fine. It's just been a long day."

Wufei flipped his hand that was covered by Heero's and grasped Heero's hand within his own, tugging lightly.

"C'mon. I'll help you back to bed."

"What about you?"

"I'm almost done here, don't worry about me."

"What a foolish thing to say."

And with that Heero stood up and allowed Wufei to guide him back to the stairs where he made his way back up and into his bedroom. Wufei waited until he heard the bedroom door close before returning to the kitchen where he tried to figure out the meaning of Heero's last statement.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Realizing that Duo was attracted to Wufei had stirred something within Heero. Something desperate that burned within him. _He admitted he isn't attracted to Duo, but….what about me? I know he's into guys because of that guy he dated a year or so ago. Why didn't it bother me then? Why now_?

Heero rolled over and lay on his side with a groan. He'd been laying in bed for what had to be at least two hours by now and knew he wouldn't be getting to sleep anytime soon.

_Is it possible I've only developed a crush on him because he's been taking care of me? Like a patient who falls for their doctor? If that's the case, what do I do? Just ride it out until the infatuation fades? How long will that take_? _And what if it's not some misplaced crush_? _How_ _am I supposed to know_?

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Wufei waited patiently in his designated corner of the small examination room, his eyes never leaving Heero's face. He had been tense all morning, dreading this examination. _If he doesn't see anything today, the doctor says his chances of ever seeing again are practically nil. Please, Heero. Please see something_.

Heero sat upon the examination table, shoulders slumped and hands clasping his knees to keep his body from shaking as the doctor removed his bandages. He could feel Wufei's eyes on him. All morning he sensed that there was something wrong with Wufei but he was too worried about his appointment to be much help. _After the appointment I'll----_

Heero suddenly jerked backwards, his back straight and rigid as he stared ahead to see…..light. He blinked several times, the action suddenly fascinating to him. Light. Dark. Light. Dark.

"Well, Mr. Yuy?"

"Light." Heero cleared his throat in the hopes of making his voice sound more normal. "I see light."

"And?"

He turned his head around, scanning his surroundings.

"Color. But everything's really blurry."

"Excellent progress, Mr. Yuy."

"So he's going to be ok?"

The doctor turned toward the quiet, inquiring voice behind him and smiled at Wufei.

"I have great confidence that he'll be just fine."

Wufei's body lost its tension and he slumped back into the corner with a sigh of relief. _He's going to see again. Thank the gods_.

"Now, Mr. Chang, I'm going to change the medicine and schedule and bandaging. I'll have the nurse print out new paperwork for you and you can watch me rewrap his eyes now so you'll know what to do."

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"Why do I still need the bandages? I can see now. Sort of."

"Mr. Yuy, you must protect your eyes until they are fully healed. But don't worry, the wrapping will be light."

Unobserved by the doctor as he turned to gather the bandages, both Heero and Wufei rolled their eyes.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Here, I'll help you down."

Wufei offered his hands to Heero and they were accepted, but instead of following Wufei's gentle tug to slide him off the examination table and onto his feet, Heero pulled Wufei towards him just enough to get the man's attention.

"Something wrong, Heero?"

"You tell me."

"I don't understand."

"All morning you've been quiet and tense. Something's bothering you, I can tell. Is it Duo?"

Wufei just stared at Heero, amazed that he could pick up on his mood without his eyesight. But then again, it was his understanding that the other senses became highly sensitized when one was lost_. But what sense did he use to pick up my worry_?

"I….I was worried about your appointment." Wufei sighed and hung his head. "That damn doctor is infuriating. All he could say up until today was that he was 'hopeful' and it felt like he was just stringing us along until he couldn't avoid telling us the bad news."

Heero was very aware of many things at that moment. One was Wufei's overwhelming presence and the fact that he was standing between Heero's legs, mere inches from him. The other was that Wufei was using the word 'us' when referring to Heero's condition which gave him a strange sensation in his stomach. And lastly, he was aware of Wufei's hands which he had guided to rest on his thighs while covering them with his own.

"You don't need to worry. I'll be looking into your eyes real soon."

Wufei's head slowly rose to look at Heero. Even though his eyes were covered Wufei felt as if those cerulean eyes were already looking into his. _How does he do that? And what does that mean, 'looking into my eyes'? Did he mean 'looking me in the eye'_?

"C'mon. Let's get out of here. I'm hungry."

Wufei nodded without thinking and backed up to let Heero off the table and that's when he realized their position and his whole body flushed. _When did I put my hands on his thighs? Oh gods he must think I'm some kind of pervert!_

As Wufei led them out of the examination room he felt Heero entwine his fingers with his own so that they were holding hands instead of Heero holding onto his bicep. Wufei didn't question the move. He found it actually felt nice holding hands, even if it was just because Heero couldn't see. _I forgot how good this feels. Just being with someone, walking along, holding hands_.

_To be continued…._


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I lay claim only to my family, cat, house and car

_**I want to thank everyone who has enjoyed this story and hung around waiting for a conclusion. I really do appreciate it. It's about 6:30 in the morning and I've been up since 2:30, plowing through to finish this story, determination and guilt my strongest driving forces. **_

_**So here you have it, the last four chapters. I do apologize for making everyone wait and I hope you'll forgive the long absence.**_

**Blind**

**Chapter 12**

"I knew you couldn't stay mad at me."

Duo winked at Wufei as he made his way to the pool table to take his turn. Wufei had called him a few days ago and asked him if he wanted to join him for some pool at a local hangout. Wufei repeatedly tried to make his stance perfectly clear, but Duo simply wasn't listening. He persisted on teasing Wufei that they were on a date.

"Just take your turn."

Wufei looked up and stared at the neon sign above Duo, advertising some brand of beer, he really wasn't sure. His eyes were locked on the blue in the lighted tubes. _Heero seemed fine with me going out, but I still feel kinda guilty. Plus Duo is pushing things too far. If he keeps this up I'll leave him here to find his own way home_.

"Hey, 'Fei! You awake over there?"

Wufei's eyes darted to the sound of Duo's voice and saw the man lining up another shot. He missed the pocket, barely, and Wufei approached the table, scanning the ball layout. He was too focused on studying the layout before him to notice Duo hadn't stepped away and back to the high table they were sharing. Instead he merely backed away and waited until Wufei started to lean forward. Then he closed in behind the man and using his gift of stealth, leaned in as close as possible and whispered by Wufei's ear.

"That's risky, 'Fei."

Wufei jumped and the top of his shoulder slammed into the underside of Duo's chin, eliciting an audible clack from Duo's teeth.

"What the hell--?!"

Duo had dropped his pool cue and stood there, bent over and grimacing, thankful he hadn't bitten his tongue.

"Wow man, you need to relax."

Duo righted himself and offered a lopsided grin while Wufei still stood there, his face a mixture of confusion and anger.

"What--? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Duo just shrugged and approached Wufei, his lopsided grin morphing into a mischievous playful smirk.

"I was just playin' around." Duo stopped until he was within a foot of Wufei and shoved his hands in his pockets. "What's the big deal?"

Wufei searched the glittering amethysts, trying to find the truth of the situation but all he saw was his longtime friend and his playful nature shining through. _I can't deal with this. I can't tell if he's serious or just joking with me. This was a bad idea. I should have just invited him over and talked outside. Instead, I've blurred things ever further, giving him an opening._

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"You're drunk, Maxwell."

Wufei had agreed to drive them and as they stood outside Duo's apartment building at 12:26am, he saw yet another miscalculation on his part. _I should have made him drive himself. Then he wouldn't be drunk_.

Duo just waved off Wufei's accusation with a smug grin as he walked around from his side of the car to the driver's side where Wufei was waiting for him.

"No way. I just let you drive to save the arguing. I switched over to non-alcoholic beer hours ago."

"You what?"

Duo chuckled and leaned in even further, his smile widening.

"I want to remember our first date, 'Fei, not drink it away."

Wufei felt Duo's lips tickling his own and he gasped, pulling away. But Duo snaked an arm around Wufei's waist in a firm grip in an attempt to hold Wufei still.

"'Fei, stop. I just wan--"

Duo's words were cut off by a sharp slap to his cheek. He froze in shock and just stared wide-eyed at his friend who was standing a few steps back now, cheeks burning red and eyes glinting dangerously.

"Stop this, Maxwell!"

Duo took a deep breath and rubbed the back of his neck. _He still thinks I'm just playing around. I guess I haven't really shown him I'm serious at all_.

"'Fei, I really care for you, you know that. I'm not some stranger in a bar."

"We're friends."

"Why can't we be more? Is there someone else?"

"Yes. No. I mean--"

"Which is it?"

"Heero, he--"

"You and Heero are involved?! Why didn't you say--"

"No! Heero…." Wufei slumped back against his car and sighed, running his hands through his hair in frustration. "He has a thing for you."

"Me?"

Duo frowned and looked up into the starry sky trying to recall if Heero had ever given him any indication of having feelings for him. After a few moments he shook his head emphatically and turned his attention back to Wufei.

"No. You're wrong. Heero and I are just friends."

"I'm telling you….Heero got very upset when I teased him about you and I going out together."

"You teased him about us? Why?"

Wufei sighed and looked off to the side, feeling very foolish for how he handled things with Heero and with Duo.

"I mentioned that you and I go out upon occasion and he seemed especially interested which was odd to me so I just mentioned what we did, tossing in sex to get a reaction and he just…."

Wufei looked back to Duo, his face slack, but his eyes shone with his feelings of helplessness and Duo felt for his friend.

"He didn't appreciate my little joke. And I think it's because he has a thing for you."

Duo's brows furrowed and he kept frowning until finally Wufei watched as Duo's features softened and he looked up to the sky and chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

Duo dropped his head, his smile still showing through as he shook his head a few times. Then he looked up at Wufei.

"At this moment? Nothing actually, but it's better than the alternative."

"What? What are you--?"

"It's late and you should be getting back. Heero is probably waiting up for you."

Wufei just frowned at his friend, wondering what he was missing. _I feel like there's a joke I'm missing, and it's on me_.

"Heero is just fine. I want to know what's going on inside that head of yours. Why do I feel like you're mocking me?"

Duo tilted his head to the side a bit and sighed. Then he closed the small distance between them and leaned in, kissing Wufei on the cheek quickly and backing up before Wufei had time to take a swing at him. He felt Wufei stiffen at the small touch but he didn't mind. _I understand now. He's already taken but just doesn't know it yet_.

Duo offered a soft smile as he winked to his friend and backed away towards his apartment building.

"Goodnight, 'Fei."

Wufei could only watch, speechless and confused as Duo disappeared into the apartment building without another word. _What am I missing_?

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"So where did you go last night?"

"We just went to _Sticks_ and played a few games. Nothing special."

"So….you guys settled things?"

Wufei had told Heero of his plan to speak with Duo about what happened between them and make sure their friend understood that he would only ever be that: a friend. And from the moment Wufei walked out the door, Heero's mind had been going a mile a minute, imagining all sorts of scenarios and giving himself one gigantic headache.

"Yes. Everything is as it should be."

Wufei suddenly felt his stomach roil and he sighed as he put his fork down on the plate. He thought back to last night, and although it was true things seemed to be back to normal between them, he still felt guilty for hurting his close friend, both physically and emotionally. _I can't believe I struck him, but…_._it couldn't be helped, he wouldn't listen. I'm just not attracted to him. And then there's Heero_…

Wufei's frown deepened as he continued to think back to his late night conversation with Duo. _I can't shake the feeling he knows something about Heero but refuses to tell me_. _Why? Petty revenge? No…there's another reason, but what?_

There was no way Wufei could eat another bite. He stood up and started to clean up the breakfast dishes when Heero spoke up again.

"Not hungry?"

"Not really."

"Hangover?"

"No."

Heero let out a bitter chuckle.

"No, I suppose not. Duo doesn't like the sofa here."

"Excuse me?"

"I keep a room here for Duo when he drinks too much because my place is usually within walking distance to where he likes to drink. But seeing as how it's currently occupied…."

"I see."

_Well, that explains the room. But does it really warrant Heero keeping a room for Duo? He should just let the drunk sleep on his sofa_.

"You realize you're just encouraging him to get drunk by giving him a room."

"I prefer to look at it as saving my neighbors from hearing him complain about the sofa in the wee hours of the morning."

Wufei chuckled as he pictured a drunken Duo draped over Heero, his voice three times louder than normal as he whined about the leather sticking to his face or some such nonsense.

"You can picture it, can't you?"

"And hear it too." Wufei laughed a little louder and continued to clean the dishes.

"After letting him sleep with me one night I made up the spare room for him."

Wufei dropped the pan he was washing and with his back turned he couldn't see the smile on Heero's face. _I know he just meant actually sleeping but why did my heart suddenly lurch? The thought of Heero and Duo sleeping together…._.

"You ok?"

"Y-yeah. The pan was just slippery from too much soap."

Heero sat there for the rest of the time sipping his coffee and wondering if Wufei's "slip up" was genuine or if it had a much deeper meaning. _I've become so pathetic, reduced to analyzing a dropped pan. Can a simple crush really make you this crazy_?

_To be continued…._


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I lay claim only to my family, cat, house and car

**Blind**

**Chapter 13**

"He's completely oblivious ya know."

Duo saw Heero's body stiffened just slightly and he smiled. Duo had invited himself over for dinner a few days before Heero's surgery, curious to see Wufei and Heero interact some more, knowing now that Heero had a thing for Wufei. Things had been normal enough, if a tad bit out of synch for their group, and Duo observed how Heero seemed to follow Wufei's movements, detecting them with the barest of sounds. _He's completely focused on 'Fei_.

But now that Wufei was in the kitchen Duo was determined to say something to Heero. After a lengthy pause Heero's voice finally sounded, distant, almost monotone.

"I don't understand. Who is oblivious?"

Duo's smile curved into a smirk and he scoffed. _I should have known he wouldn't just come right out and confess_.

Duo noted Heero's clenched jaw and his stiff posture and one fist clenched at his side as he sat perfectly still on the sofa. _Maybe I shouldn't push things. Heero looks tense enough already and he doesn't need the stress before surgery. Besides, 'Fei will kick my ass if I upset him. I guess it'll just have to wait for later. Damn. I was looking forward to putting Heero's feet to the flames_.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"So are you nervous?"

They had just started eating dinner and Duo was determined to keep it from being a quiet affair, still looking to get some amusement.

"No reason to be. It's just routine surgery."

Heero sounded like his normal, confident self, but Duo noticed the tension in Wufei's jaw and he fought to suppress his smile. _He's worried_.

Dinner continued with small conversations here and there and just after dessert was served, Duo poked the proverbial sleeping bear once again.

"I bet you'll be happy to get back home, huh, 'Fei?"

Wufei looked to Heero first, then Duo, before clearing his throat.

"Of course."

Wufei couldn't hold Duo's gaze and dropped his focus to his dessert again, moving the mousse around in its dish absently.

_Hm_. Duo looked to Heero and noted the down turned corners of his mouth. _He doesn't seem too pleased either_. _But what I don't understand is if Heero really does want 'Fei, then why hasn't he said anything? What the hell is he waiting for_?

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Wufei stood in the open doorway, watching as Duo slipped on his coat and headed toward him. When he got to the door he stopped, regarded Wufei with a soft smile and then leaned in just enough so he would only have to whisper.

"Don't worry, he's going to be just fine."

Wufei's eyes widened slightly at Duo's words, but then he just sighed and hung his head, mumbling.

"I feel so helpless."

Duo wanted to reach out and comfort his friend like he would normally do, but he didn't think they were ready for that yet. _I'm_ _so sorry, 'Fei_.

Duo put a reassuring hand on Wufei's shoulder and squeezed. Wufei looked up, questioning his longtime friend.

"I'll be there to wait with you, ok?"

Wufei nodded once and offered a small smile of thanks and watched as Duo walked out the door. He closed the door and leaned against it for a few moments, and silently observed Heero as he sat on the sofa, reading one of his Braille books. _He will be fine. He has to be. He's too strong not to beat this_.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

They walked hand-in-hand from the car, into the medical facility, and eventually down to the doctor's office where the surgery would be performed. The entire time neither said a word, but their grip kept mutually tightening ever so slightly the closer it came time for Heero's surgery.

When they finally called Heero in, Wufei's heart jumped and he started, suddenly clenching Heero's hand as if for dear life. _This feeling….it's almost like when I had that nightmare. That feeling of complete helplessness. Not being able to help him, protect him_….

Heero brought his other hand over, encasing both their hands.

"I'll be fine. One way or another--"

"Stop. There is only one way. You got that?"

Heero smirked and scoffed lightly.

"Yeah, got it."

He rubbed Wufei's hand for a brief moment and then slowly stood up, pulling Wufei with him. Before he entered the office he stopped and turned to Wufei.

"I couldn't have done this without you. Thank you."

"Anytime."

Heero gently slipped from Wufei's grasp as he entered the surgical room, leaving Wufei to stand there, heart wrenching in his chest as he prayed for Heero's vision to return.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Wufei sat in the waiting room, book in hand, staring blankly at the pages. He couldn't clear thoughts of Heero from his mind enough to concentrate. He looked up at the clock again and only ten minutes had passed since the last time he looked. _Where the hell is Duo? He said he would--_

"Sorry I'm late. There was an accident and I was re-routed."

Wufei's head snapped up to reveal a smiling Duo standing next to him.

"Any news?"

"No."

Duo chuckled at the agitated voice and sat down next to Wufei. _He never was one for patience. For a guy who meditates, you'd think he'd have more_.

"Relax, 'Fei. Everything is going to be fine. The doctor said this was a very minor corrective surgery."

"The doctor is an idiot."

_Come to think of it, he's never been much for doctors either._

Duo shook his head and grabbed Wufei's book, placing it on the nearby table and grabbing both Wufei's wrists, tugged him up onto his feet.

"Come on. Let's go get some coffee and bad cafeteria food while we wait."

"No, I want to stay here in case--"

"In case what? Heero dies? Or he comes walking out, better than new?"

"Maxwell!"

"'Fei, I know you're worried and you feel helpless right now. That's why _I'm_ here. To save you from yourself."

"Excuse me?"

"That's what friends do. Now come on."

Wufei allowed himself to be led away, but when he tried to pull his wrist free, Duo held firm.

"Duo, let go."

"No."

Duo looked over at Wufei with his patented playful grin and Wufei offered a sly smirk in response.

"Oh really?"

Wufei yanked again, harder, causing Duo to gracelessly stumble sideways. Duo righted himself, but as he stood straight, he gave Wufei's wrist a tug, sending Wufei flailing behind Duo, but managing to stay on his feet by grabbing hold of Duo's shirt.

"Ack!"

Duo reached up for his collar, making exaggerated choking noises. Wufei yanked on the fabric for good measure before letting go and rejoining Duo's side as they continued down the corridor, Duo maintaining his grip on Wufei.

"That was childish, 'Fei."

"You're one to talk."

_To be continued….._


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I lay claim only to my family, cat, house and car

**Blind**

**Chapter 14**

Heero lay in his bed, unable to sleep, his stomach tied in knots, his mind refusing to shut down. For the past three days he'd been quiet and edgy, his patience having grown thin very quickly at having to wait to see if the surgery was successful. He felt bad pulling away from Wufei, but the other man seemed to understand and just let Heero do as he would.

_Tomorrow. I'll know tomorrow. No. I'll be able to __**see**__ tomorrow. But…then what? Things go back to normal? He'll leave of course; he has his own life to get back to. But….I want him to stay. I know this now. It's not just a crush. _

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Wufei sat on the edge of his bed and stared down at the suitcase. He'd pulled it from the closet about an hour ago and after filling it about halfway, he'd felt a sudden pang and sat down on the bed.

_Tomorrow. This madness will all be over tomorrow. I know Heero will get his sight back. That's why I'm packing tonight. I can get out of his hair as soon as possible. I'm sure he wants to get back to his life and his privacy. And…I do too. It's just that_…

Wufei stood up with a sigh and continued to pack his belongings, his limbs feeling heavy.

…_..it was nice having someone around._

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Once again Heero and Wufei found themselves seeking comfort and grounding in the other's grasp, both with their own reason, as they made their way from the car, across the hospital parking lot and into the building.

When the nurse told them the doctor was ready to see Heero, the mutual grip tightened as they followed her into the very familiar examination room. Wufei guided Heero to the table and went to let go of his hand but Heero refused.

"Stay with me."

"I always do. I'll be over in the corner."

"No. _Stay with me_."

Wufei was surprised that Heero's quiet voice could sound so demanding at the same time. Heero slipped up onto the table and there they waited for the doctor, hands still clasped together.

"Hello, gentlemen. Are we ready for the big unveiling?"

The doctor smiled and approached the two, nodding to Wufei as he stepped up to examine Heero. As he reached up with a pair of scissors he stopped and turned towards Wufei.

"Mr. Chang? Is there something you need?"

"Me." Heero couldn't see Wufei's cheeks instantly become rosy but his own were a mirror image. "I want him……here."

The doctor seemed confused but since he noticed Wufei also looked confused as he gazed at his friend sitting on the table, he decided it was best not to say anything. For a few tense moments the doctor worked to carefully remove Heero's bandages, constantly reminding Heero to keep his eyes closed.

"Ok, Mr. Yuy. You may open your eyes. Very slowly."

"Wufei?"

"Yes?"

Heero turned towards the sound of the voice, wanting the first thing he saw to be Wufei's face. He did as the doctor advised and opened his eyes slowly despite the intense urge to just open them wide and take in the world again. He was surprised how unnatural it felt to blink his eyes and bring the world into focus, but focus he did and he saw exactly what he wanted to see. There was Wufei gazing at him expectantly, fearfully. Heero drank in the sight of the shiny ebony hair that was pulled back in the typical low ponytail and the honey colored skin and the glittering, depthless onyx eyes. _How did I never notice this before_? He reached out and let his fingertips lightly brush over Wufei's burning cheek but it was immediately pressed against Wufei's cheek by Wufei's own hand. He now looked panicked and his grip on Heero's hand increased tenfold.

"Heero? C-can you see me? Please tell me--"

"I can see you."

"Thank the gods."

Wufei let the tension leave his body and he suddenly felt very tired. He hung his head and gently pulled away from Heero and sat down in a nearby chair, suddenly unable to support himself.

Heero frowned and started to get up from the table but the doctor put a restraining hand on his chest.

"Not so fast, Mr. Yuy. You can't leave until I've done an examination."

Heero sighed and sat there and did as the doctor asked, all the while stealing glances over to Wufei who finally lifted his head and offered a small smile. Heero returned the smile and marveled at how easily Wufei's cheeks became rosy. _He feels it too, I know he does_.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Alright, Mr. Yuy, everything looks perfect. Now just make sure to follow these instructions and you shouldn't have any trouble. If you do, obviously call my office immediately. I can't stress to you how important it is to treat your eyes gently for the next week or so."

Heero merely nodded and slid off the table as Wufei stood up and thanked the doctor, shaking his hand and taking the offered packet of post-op instructions. As Heero and Wufei made their way out of the examination room, Heero reached out and clasped Wufei's hand within his own. Wufei stopped and looked at Heero, his eyebrows raised considerably.

"What?"

"...we don't need to hold hands anymore."

Heero looked down at their hands hanging between them, fingers entwined and he squeezed a little tighter before looking back up at Wufei, his face an unreadable mask of calm.

"I know."

And with that simple statement, he started walking down the hallway, pulling Wufei with him. Wufei was too stunned to question Heero's actions at first but then decided that he must be doing it "for old time's sake" and so he walked beside Heero, a small smile on his face as he enjoyed the comforting contact. _This is the last time and I'm going to enjoy it as much as possible_.

When they reached the parking lot, Wufei turned and faced Heero, his smile growing.

"You want to drive?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The drive back to Heero's apartment was in silence as Heero drank in everything around him and enjoyed the simple task of driving himself home. The day was partly cloudy and he was glad for it because whenever the sun came out full blast he had to squint a little, even behind his sunglasses. Now he understood about the doctor telling him to treat his eyes delicately. They needed to readjust to working.

He cast a few glances at Wufei during the drive home to see the ebony eyes watching him and it just served to broaden his smile and tie his stomach in knots. _Now that I can see again and I'm not a burden, I can tell him how I feel. I don't think I feel this way just because he took care of me. I think being able to spend so much time with him opened my eyes to what I really desired._

_To be concluded….._


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I lay claim only to my family, cat, house and car

**Blind**

**Chapter 15**

Heero walked into his house and looked around as if for the first time and Wufei just smiled seeing Heero Yuy looking around with almost childlike amazement. He chuckled and started heading up the stairs to pack his things.

"Where are you going?"

Wufei stopped and turned to look down the few steps at Heero who was currently standing behind his sofa.

"I'm going to finish packing. You don't need me around anymore."

"Why the rush? I'm not kicking you out."

"I know, but--"

"I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Oh?"

Wufei descended the stairs, his curiosity peeked as to what Heero thought so important to discuss upon walking in the door.

Heero couldn't read anything on Wufei's face. No clue or hint as to what the man was thinking and it caused his stomach to roil just a little more. But he didn't let it deter him from getting things out in the open.

"What is it? Is something wrong?"

"No. I just wanted….."

Wufei waited for several moments until finally he prompted his friend, seeing his difficulty.

"You wanted 'what'?"

"I….."

Heero tried to voice the thoughts racing through his mind but nothing seemed to want to come out so he blurted out the first thing that he could.

"When you look at me…..what do you see?"

Wufei's brow furrowed as he considered Heero's question.

"What do you mean 'what do I see'?"

"Exactly that. What do you see?"

"I….I see you. Heero Yuy. What else would I see?"

"Being blind….it helped me to see things that I didn't realize were even there."

Heero closed the small distance between them, his eyes never leaving Wufei's, and all Wufei could think about were the intense eyes fixated on him. _Were his eyes always that blue_?

"When I look at you now I see……."

Trembling fingertips ghosted over Wufei's burning cheeks and Heero leaned in until Wufei could feel the hot breath on his own lips as Heero spoke.

"I see someone…..that I want to kiss."

Wufei just stood there as Heero gently pressed his lips against his own in a chaste kiss. _What the hell is happening?!_

"Wufei…." The deep voice penetrated his shock and he slowly opened his half-lidded eyes fully to see dark blue eyes boring into him. "Kiss me."

As the soft lips pressed against his again, Wufei's whole body began shaking and he wasn't entirely sure he was still breathing, but he did as the husky voice commanded and he slowly responded to the tender attention and kissed Heero.

Once he felt Wufei respond, Heero took things further and let his tongue glide along the fuller bottom lip before nipping at it, eliciting a gasp from the surprised man. Heero capitalized on the slightly parted lips and let his tongue slide right between them, gaining access to a wet, warm cavern. He began massaging Wufei's tongue and finally he sucked it into his own mouth, causing Wufei to loudly moan and lean into him.

Wufei tried to keep himself in control and not let the situation go any further, but strong hands which had been holding his hips in place found their way under his shirt and lifted it over his head. Suddenly, the sensation of slightly calloused hands roaming over his overheated body was accompanied by hungry lips and teeth as Heero made his way down Wufei's neck and across his collarbone.

Wufei had no idea his body was being guided to the floor or that his pants were being undone. He was only aware of the tantalizing feel of Heero's skin against his own, the feel of his weight resting on top of him and ultimately, the feeling of Heero inside him.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I don't want you to go."

Goosebumps spread over Wufei's body at the quiet statement whispered by his ear, Heero's soft breath tickling. _He sounds so sincere. Where did this come from? Am I that unaware of the people around me? I had no clue Heero had feelings for me or that Duo_….

At the thought of his friend, Wufei recalled that night when Duo seemed to be amused by some joke that involved him. _Did he know how Heero felt? Why didn't he say something_? _Everything is so screwed up! How the hell did it happen_?

Suddenly, Heero's heat was taken away as he got up from their sprawled position on the floor behind the sofa. Wufei sat up and watched as Heero found his pants and put them on. He could tell from his body language that the man that had confessed his feelings and shown so much passion only moments ago was gone.

"It's because of _him_, isn't it?"

Heero had his back to Wufei, head bowed, and Wufei could see his tense muscles twitching all along his back, a strong back that currently bore the evidence of Wufei's pleasure.

"Are you…involved with Duo? Did you just cheat--?"

"No! I told you before, I don't think of Duo in that way. We're just friends."

Wufei saw Heero's tense shoulders drop and he heard a quiet exhale of breath. He didn't want to hurt either of his friends. The past few months had been anything but ordinary and Wufei just wanted to get things back to normal. _Once my life is back in order I can deal with this. But right now…._

"I should go."

Wufei stood up and began collecting his clothes, putting them on quickly. As his shirt fell over his head he found himself pulled against a hard, warm body and insistent lips were pressed against his own, stealing his very breath. Finally, Heero pulled back and gazed into Wufei's eyes.

"I told you I don't want you to go."

Wufei searched the intent steel blue eyes and he swallowed hard. He'd seen Heero intimidate many people with lesser stares and he found himself becoming overwhelmed by Heero's presence.

"I…..can't."

"Why."

Heero's question sounded more like a challenge and this helped to bring Wufei out of his uncertainty. Because if it was one thing he didn't back down from, it was a challenge. Especially one from this man.

"I have a home, Heero." Wufei wrenched himself free of Heero's grasp and started for the stairs. "I had a life before all this happened and I'd like to return to it."

He looked back to see Heero standing right where he left him, looking up at him with a mixture of fear and anger. Wufei sighed and sat down on the stair, running his fingers through his hair.

"I need to think things over. And I can't do that with you around."

A creak and a shadow alerted Wufei to Heero's approach. Heero leaned over from his position a few steps down and tilted Wufei's face up to meet his.

"Do you care about me at all?"

"Of course! I wouldn't have--!"

A finger on his lips stopped his rant and thoughts.

"Did you enjoy your time here with me?"

The finger was removed from his lips but Wufei still felt its tingling presence.

"….yes. But the situation wasn't normal. You were blind."

"And now I'm not and I still want you to stay with me."

"Heero…"

"I'm not asking you to give up your life. I'm asking you to be a part of mine."

Wufei felt as if he couldn't breathe and his body broke out in sweat. He tried to think of something to say, some argument against Heero's rash plan, but not a single intelligent thought came to mind. Instead he thought of the quiet moments they had shared the past few months and how easy it had been for them to live together once both tossed aside their egos. And most recently….they had shared everything about themselves only a few feet away from where they currently were.

_When Duo kissed me, it didn't feel like this. It was pleasant but he doesn't do this to me. Heero raises my passion one moment and calms me the next. I have never experienced anything like it. It's frightening and exhilarating at the same time. _

"I'll….stay. But only for a week."

Wufei saw the disappointment in Heero's eyes and looked away, standing up and slowly ascending the stairs once again, speaking as he went.

"The doctor said you should take it easy with your eyes and something tells me that with me not around, you won't follow his orders at all."

When Wufei reached the top of the stairs he looked down again and saw Heero with a small smile curving his lips and he smiled back. _Yes, I see it now too, Heero. I see a man I want to kiss. I'm not blind anymore_.

**The End.**


End file.
